Dysphagia

What is dysphagia?

Children with dysphagia have trouble swallowing. This makes it hard for food and liquid to pass from their mouth into their throat, esophagus and stomach. The problem can occur at several points in the swallowing process.

Children who have dysphagia may have trouble eating enough food, which can cause them to not gain weight or grow properly. They may also be at risk for aspiration, which happens when liquids or food gets into the windpipe or lungs. Aspiration can cause pneumonia or other lung problems.

What are the signs and symptoms of dysphagia?

The symptoms of dysphagia in babies and children can vary from child to child. Some common symptoms include:

• Arching the body during feedings
• Eating slowly
• Choking
• Coughing while eating or drinking
• Vomiting often
• Drooling
• Weight loss or not gaining weight
• Raspy voice while eating or after eating
• Liquids or foods coming out of nose when feeding
• Having trouble breathing while eating

What causes dysphagia?

Swallowing occurs in four stages as food or liquid moves from the mouth into the throat, esophagus and stomach. Muscles and nerves help move food along the way. If something goes wrong at any stage of swallowing, it can cause dysphagia.

Conditions that can cause dysphagia in children include:

• Cleft lip or palate
• Large tongue or tonsils
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Being born prematurely
• Vocal cord paralysis
• Conditions that affect the muscles or nerves, such as muscular dystrophy, a stroke, or brain injury
• Conditions a baby is born with that affect the digestive tract, such as esophageal atresia or tracheoesophageal fistula
• Problems in the structures of the mouth or throat (craniofacial anomalies)
• Eosinophilic esophagitis
• Having an object, like a coin, stuck in the esophagus
• Being on a breathing machine for a long time

How is dysphagia treated?

Treatment for dysphagia in children depends on the cause of the dysphagia. Your care team at Arkansas Children's is experienced in treating all types of dysphagia in children and will work with you to determine the best course of treatment for your child. Some options may include:

• Feeding therapy, to help your child swallow and teach them exercises that may help improve swallowing problems.
• Making changes to your child’s diet.
• Treating GERD, if your child has it.
• Surgery to correct any anatomical problems that are causing the dysphagia.
• Treating any other conditions causing the dysphagia.