Dysphagia Children Symptom

Children Problem

Dysphagia is a term that means "difficulty swallowing." It is the inability of food or liquids to pass easily from the mouth, into the throat, and down into the esophagus to the stomach during the process of swallowing. Swallowing involves three stages. These three stages are controlled by nerves that connect the digestive tract to the brain. Oral preparation stage Food is chewed and moistened by saliva. The tongue pushes food and liquids to the back of the mouth towards the throat. (This phase is voluntary: we have control over chewing and beginning to swallow.) Pharyngeal stage Food enters the pharynx (throat). A flap called the epiglottis closes off the passage to the windpipe so food cannot get into the lungs. The muscles in the throat relax. Food and liquid are quickly passed down the pharynx (throat) into the esophagus. The epiglottis opens again so we can breathe. (This phase starts under voluntary control, but then becomes an involuntary phase that we cannot consciously control).

Esophageal stage. Liquids fall through the esophagus into the stomach by gravity. Muscles in the esophagus push food toward the stomach in wave-like movements known as peristalsis. A muscular band between the end of the esophagus and the upper portion of the esophagus (known as the lower esophageal sphincter) relaxes in response to swallowing, allowing food and liquids to enter the stomach. (The events in this phase are involuntary).

Swallowing disorders occur when one or more of these stages fails to take place properly. Children's health problems that can affect swallowing include: (a) Cleft lip or cleft palate; (b) Dental problems (teeth that do not meet properly, such as with an overbite); (c) Large tongue; (d) Diseases that affect the nerves and muscles, such as a stroke, tumor, nerve injury, brain injury, or muscular dystrophy, and can cause paralysis or poor function of the tongue or the muscles in the throat and esophagus.

Large tonsils, tumors or masses in the throat, problems with the prenatal development of the bones of the skull and the structures in the mouth and throat (known as craniofacial anomalies), prenatal malformations of the digestive tract, such as esophageal atresia or tracheoesophageal fistula, oral sensitivity that can occur in very ill children who have been on a ventilator for a prolonged period of time, irritation of the vocal cords after being on a ventilator for long periods of time (as may occur with premature babies or very ill children),

Paralysis of the vocal cords, having a tracheostomy (artificial opening in the throat for breathing), irritation or scarring of the esophagus or vocal cords by acid in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).compression of the esophagus by other body parts, such as the heart, thyroid gland, blood vessels, or lymph nodes, foreign bodies in the esophagus, such as a swallowed coin, developmental delays and prematurity.

These tests can include: Oral-pharyngeal video A series of x-rays are taken to evaaluate the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Barium shows up well on x-ray. * barium swallow/upper GI series Your child is given a liquijd containing barium to drink with a bottle, spoon, or cup, or spoon fed a solid food containing barium. The physician can watch what happens as your child swallows the liquid.

Symptoms may include: Oral-pharyngeal video swallow Your child is given small amounts of a liquid containing barium (a metallic, chemical, chalky, liquid used to coat the inside of organs so that they will show upj on an x-ray) to drink, and a camera lens at the end (endoscope) to examine the inside of organs so that they will show up on an x-ray) to drink, and a series of x-rays are taken. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. What are the most common symptoms of dysphagia. The symptoms that children with dysphagia usually have trouble eating enough, leading to inadequate nutrition and failure to gain weight or grow properly.

What are the most common symptoms of dysphagia? Children with dysphagia usually have trouble eating enough, leading to inadequate nutrition and failure to gain weight or grow properly. Aspiration of food and liquidsj may cause pneumonia and/or other serious lung conditions. Aspiration of food several times, difficulty coordinating sucking and swallowing, gagging during feeding, frequent sneezing after eating, tiredness or shortness of breath while eating or drinking, frequent respiratory infections, color change during feeding, such as becoming blue or pale, spitting up or vomiting frequently, food or liquids go into the windpipe and lungs. Dysphagia can result in aspiration which occurs when food or liquids go into the windpipe and lungs.