Feeding
and Swallowing
Swallowing allows us to eat and drink to get adequate food and liquid for
survival. The infant or child also needs adequate nutrition for growth and development
of body and mind. Thus, the inability to swallow can have severe and even fatal
consequences in children. As a result, swallowing disorders (also referred to
as dysphagia) must be identified accurately and managed aggressively. Infants
and children with swallowing disorders are a diverse group ranging from the very
small premature newborn to the full-grown adolescent. Often parents are the first
to notice a problem with feeding and swallowing.
Characteristics of Infants and Children with Swallowing Disorders:
- A variety of medical conditions, illnesses, and syndromes may affect an infant’s
ability to swallow.
- Premature infants are at risk of having swallowing difficulties.
- Neurological
disorders such as cerebral palsy have been known to cause swallowing disorders.
- Children
born with abnormalities in the head and neck may also experience swallowing disorders.
- The
symptoms of swallowing disorders in the infant or child include poor feeding,
refusal to take a bottle, or initially taking a bottle or breast and refusing
after a few sucks.
- Other signs that may signal a swallowing problem include apnea
(the infant stops breathing and may turn blue), liquid coming out of the nose,
choking, gagging, vomiting, and congestion during feeding.
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