swollowing disorder

Autumn - posted on 04/05/2010

My daughter is 21 months and has been on get thickners since 2months. She was started at nectar thick then to pudding thick for over a year and now she is one honey thick. She has silent aspiration, but can eat any solids. It is just liquids she has trouble with. No Dr. can seem to figure out why she has the problem. They have her on refulx meds but according to the GI dr she doesn't have reflux. The swallowing team still thinks that it what causes her problems. She has had pnemonia at least 5 times. They have told us that a g-tube would be a possiblity all along. They said she needs a ct scan of her lungs this summer so they can make sure no permanent damage is occuring in her lungs. Good luck with the little one!

Candace - posted on 02/18/2010

My daughter is only 8 months old and we couldnt figure out what was wrong with her. she was constantly spitting back up everything she drank and even starting throwing up flem. i finally got her into a specialist who did tests and came up with her being an aspiratior. he said everything she was drinking was going into her lungs and there was nothing wrong with her esophegeal tube so surgery would not fix it. my daughter cannot drink anything unless it is pudding consistency. im currently using thicken up but have been curious about this simply thick? it comes in gel form? what is the cost and how long would it last

Alicia - posted on 02/06/2010

My son 4.5 months old aspirates when swallowing liquids. he was just put through a swallowing test and breathing test the other day. We are now mixing his formula to a honey consistancy. So far he is eating WAY better and sleeping 6-8 hours at night instead of 1-3 hours at a time. I totally feel your frustrations. I have had so many people think that I am being paranoid or lazy because I use rice cereal to thicken his formula (per Dr.) my mother in law refused to put it in his bottle for a day she was watching him and it set me back so far with his reflux. I was so mad at her. she said I thought you were just not wanting to feed him from a spoon.

Tonya - posted on 11/15/2009

I have a 20 month old that does not swallow at all, due to a floppy epiglodis. She currently has a tracheostomy and a g-tube. Although it may seem that you are alone in the world when it comes to swallowing issues with your child.... rest assured you are not. Best of luck and God Bless.

Andrea - posted on 11/01/2009

Wow!! I do feel your pain. Both of my DS 3 and 20months both have swallowing problems. They are both currently on nectar thick liquids. My 3yo has been up and down with the thicknesses. My 20mo has just been moved down to nectar. They both have been fighting this since birth. He also has really bad reflux. I am here for each one of you here I know what you are going through and I hope we can be a good support.