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Infants without apparent risk factors with aspiration as a cause of respiratory symptoms — a retrospective study

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Abstract

Background

Dysphagia is common in children born prematurely or those with neuromuscular conditions or airway malformations. Few studies have reported on children with isolated dysphagia and there is significant variation in the literature regarding clinical outcomes.

Aims

The aim of this study was to characterise the clinical presentation of children with isolated dysphagia as well as the diagnostic evaluation, treatment strategies and clinical outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted of children with isolated dysphagia presenting to a tertiary paediatric centre over a 10-year period.

Results

We describe these patients’ presentation, clinical feeding assessment findings, radiological findings, treatment strategies and outcomes. Seventeen children were identified. Recurrent respiratory tract infections were the most common presentation (82%). Oral feeds were continued in 9 (53%) with the remaining being NG fed. Gastrostomy tubes were required for long-term nutrition in 6/8 (75%) of these cases. At follow-up, 11/17 (65%) had resolution of symptoms and are on full oral feeds. The mean age at resolution is 3.45 years. Of those who required gastrostomy 50% have had them removed.

Conclusion

Isolated dysphagia should be considered in children presenting with recurrent, otherwise unexplained respiratory symptoms. Resolution can take a number of years.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Respiratory Department, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland

    James Trayer & Des W. Cox

  2. Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland

    Carol Gilmore & Sara Dallapè

  3. School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Des W. Cox

Authors
  1. James Trayer
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  2. Carol Gilmore
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  3. Sara Dallapè
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  4. Des W. Cox
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparations, data collection and analysis were performed by Carol Gilmore, Sara Dallape and James Trayer. The first draught of the manuscript was written by James Trayer and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James Trayer.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethics approval

Ethical approval was waived by the local ethics committee of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin in view of the retrospective nature of the study and all the procedures being performed were part of the routine care.

Consent to participate

As advised by ethics committee, no formal consent is required as all data was anonymised and collected retrospectively.

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As advised by ethics committee, no formal consent is required as all data was anonymised and collected retrospectively.

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Trayer, J., Gilmore, C., Dallapè, S. et al. Infants without apparent risk factors with aspiration as a cause of respiratory symptoms — a retrospective study. Ir J Med Sci 190, 217–223 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-020-02282-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-020-02282-8

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