Aspiration in children

Foreign body aspiration is common in children. It usually presents with an initial episode of choking and respiratory symptoms in form of persistent cough or breathing difficulty.
While everyone aspirates occasionally but chronic aspiration is found in children with other health problems,like

• Prematurity
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Anatomic defects
• Chronic heart disease
• Congenital syndrome

SYMPTOMS OF ASPIRATION?

• Coughing or choking while eating
• Vomiting while choking
• Difficult breathing while eatin
• Not gaining weight/difficulty gaining weight
• Excessive drooling
• feeding problems
• Chronic cough
• Hoarseness
• High-pitched sound on breathing in (stridor)
• Chronic respiratory illness (such as recurrent pneumonia)

WHEN TO SUSPECT ASPIRATION IN BABIES

• Your child will need to be checked for aspiration if he or she has:
• Above signs or symptoms of aspiration
• Health problem that can cause trouble swallowing
• GERD

COMPLICATIONS OF ASPIRATION

A major complication of aspiration is harm to the lungs. When food, drink, or stomach contents make its way into your child’s lungs, it increases the risk of pneumonia. Pneumonia needs to be treated with antibiotics. Let your child’s pediatrician know right away if your child has any signs or symptoms of aspiration.It needs to be treated as soon as possible. DrDeepaAggarwal #BestPediatrician #Mayom hospital #Aspiration #choking #persistentcough#breathingdifficulty#stridor#recurrentpneumonia