Pediatric Dysphagia
Dysphagia – problems with feeding and swallowing – is very common in children, whether they also have developmental disorders. Children with feeding and swallowing disorders may be at risk for:
- Dehydration
- Weight loss
- Poor nutrition
- Aspiration (food or liquid entering the airway)
- Repeated upper respiratory infections
- Anxiety in social situations involving eating
The dysphagia team at Monroe Carell treats children of all ages with feeding or swallowing conditions or disorders. In many cases, we work with specialists who are caring for your child in medical nutrition therapy, gastroenterology, otolaryngology, lactation, speech-language pathology, and occupational and physical therapy. Our goal is to address your child’s unique needs to create a treatment plan just for them.
Depending on your child's condition or disorder, they may need to be seen in our Complex Dysphagia Program. Our dedicated team of experts will meet with you and your child with a multidisciplinary approach to address their needs.
Download our pediatric complex aerodigestive disorders treatment guide
Read our free guide to learn:
- Types of complex aerodigestive disor...
Conditions We Treat
We treat all conditions related to feeding and swallowing difficulties, including those caused by other illnesses and diseases.
- Caustic ingestion
- Diseases that affect nerves and muscles
- Failure to progress in feeding therapy
- Failure to thrive
- Feeding or weaning tube dependency
- Food impactions
Meet Your Care Team
Julia L. AndersonMD, MSCI
- Esophageal Diseases, Functional Bowel Disorder, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Interventional Endoscopy, Nutrition, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Amber N. WinstonMA, CCC-SLP
- Autism Disorders, Feeding / Swallowing Therapy, Hearing and Speech, Hearing and Speech Sciences, Pediatric Speech Language Pathology, Speech Language Pathology
Kaitlin July O'BrienMD
- ENT Ear, Nose, Throat (Otolaryngology), Otolaryngology, Pediatric Airway Reconstruction, Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat Conditions, Pediatric Hearing Loss, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Sleep Related Surgery
Amber N. WinstonMA, CCC-SLP
- Autism Disorders, Feeding / Swallowing Therapy, Hearing and Speech, Hearing and Speech Sciences, Pediatric Speech Language Pathology, Speech Language Pathology
Why Choose the Dysphagia Program at Monroe Carell
- Expert care
Licensed speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists perform all services. They have specialized training in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.
- Certified therapists
Our therapists are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). All our therapists are licensed to practice in Tennessee.
- Collaborative care
Our program experts are part of the speech-language pathology staff at Monroe Carell. We partner with the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences.
- Comprehensive care
We offer one of the only programs in the Southeast and the only program in Tennessee to fully evaluate, manage and treat pharyngeal and complex dysphagia in children with specialists from across Monroe Carell working together.
- Same-day access
We offer same-day swallow evaluations with real-time feedback including VFSS and FEES to learn if surgery or medicine and therapy would be best for your child.
Tests, Treatments and Services
Our treatments for children with dysphagia include therapy-based interventions, like nutritional changes, postural or positional changes (different types of seating), and behavior management techniques. We also offer the following:
- Caregiver training
- Endoscopy
- Feeding evaluations
- Feeding therapy
- Flexible laryngoscopy
Locations
For general dysphasia workups and feeding therapy evaluations, your child will be seen in our Gastroenterology Clinic. For surgical consultations and anatomical evaluations for complex dysphagia, your child will be seen in the Dysphagia Clinic.