Yes, swallow can be a use-it or lose-it thing, but even just swallowing a sip of water or making the swallowing motion can be enough practice for the duration. And there's therapy for after, to help regain it ... though of course, the less you've lost, the better it helps. The important thing is nutrition and hydration and feeling okay. Swallow is secondary to that, even though it's really important. Swallowing can be worked on, but not till you get better, which is why I put the nutrition and hydration first. Others might rank it differently, depending on how much work they had to do to regain it, so definitely take other viewpoints on this if they come in.