Aspiration risk but no chest infections?

[justmewithmylifetoday]

DS (14m) is waiting for a videoflureoscopy. Been under SALT dysphagia since 4.5 months.

We had been using carobel since then to thicken milk and water. Gradually weaned off this but after a more recent assessment by SALT she thinks he is at risk of aspirating water so we have reintroduced thickened water.

Waiting for a videoflureoscopy which has been requested as urgent.

He has never had a chest infection. What I'm asking is could he still be silently aspirating and coping with this? Without chest infections?

His signs we notice are:

Constant congestion, wet cough, very dribbly, coughs on saliva at times. Sounds wet in throat after drinking. Hospitalized twice for croup and has frequent upper respiratory infections (viral) always has a low level wet sound in throat which increases when/after drinking/mealtimes.

Had laryngomalacia when younger which has gradually improved.

Any thoughts those of you who are more experienced in this? Thank you

Bump for anyone in a similar situation ?

Aspiration is still a possibility, yes.

Hi, I know this is an old post but just wondered what the outcome of the aspiration was? My little girl is aspirating liquids so we’re using carobel and they also suspect developmental issues. Feeling quite anxious with it all!

Hi @Amandafirsttimemum my lo is now 22 months and doing well. He was weaned off the carabel to thicken his fluids in July after having a videoflueroscopy (swallow study) which showed everything seemed normal.

He has no issues with drinking now but is still under ENT. Next appointment is next month. He is still very congested, dribbles excessively and coughs after lying down often. He also continues to have his tongue out alot so we are questioning some low muscle tone in his mouth. His SALT is also wondering if enlarged adenoids are causing his issues. He has improved with time though!

Hang in there Mamma! Hope the carabel helps your lo. How old is your lo?

Hi sorry it's an old post but I'm currently in the same position with my 7 week old. He was born choking on feeds, rib retractions and head bobbing. I took him to A&E that first diagnosed him with bronchitis, took him back again and turned out he's got aspiration pneumonia. Took him back for the third time with aspiration pneumonia. Just wondering what symptoms your baby presented and how he's doing now? I can't help but think worse case.

Poor little sausage. Have you been advised to thicken his feeds?
Also, has his heart been checked? Head bobbing can be associated with heart issues as well as respiratory problems.

They've said no to thickening feeds just yet as aspiration of thick feeds can be lethal. His hearts good they did an echo.

Ah, it’s good they’ve checked his heart. I’m trying to remember how old
my DD was when we started thickening her feeds. Probably not as young as 7 weeks.

Duh! Just realised that we didn’t need to thicken them because she was
mostly tube-fed for the first few months, so there was no risk of aspiration. It was only once she started breast and bottle-feeding that we realised there was a problem with her swallow.

Has your son had a videofluoroscopy? Just to reassure, my daughter had an unsafe swallow for liquids until she was about 8, when we were finally able to stop giving her thickened fluids. She’s absolutely fine now, drinking normally and not aspirating.

8 years old? And what was the cause of her swallowing being unsafe ?

She has very low overall muscle tone due to a genetic condition, and this affected all areas of her body, internally and externally. But she’s got stronger as she’s grown.