Pediatric Dysphagia. Etiologies, Diagnosis, and Management

Pediatric Dysphagia: Etiologies, Diagnosis, and Management is a comprehensive is a comprehensive professional reference on the topic of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. Given that these disorders derive from abnormalities in the function and/or structure of the airway and digestive systems, multiple clinical specialists may be involved in the evaluation and management of affected children at any given point in time. Therefore, this text includes significant contributions from a wide range of experts in pediatric dysphagia, including all members of the Interdisciplinary Feeding Team at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center. These experts present an in-depth description of their roles in the diagnosis and management of dysphagic children, providing the reader with an understanding of why a multidisciplinary model of care is key to the optimization of outcomes.

Pediatric Dysphagia is divided into five parts. In Part I, readers are provided with an overview of the embryologic development of aerodigestive structures that relate to swallowing, an introduction to neural organization related to swallowing function and physiologic aspects of swallowing, a synopsis of oral motor development, a discussion of the various etiologic categories of feeding and swallowing disorders, and an overview of genetic disorders associated with feeding and swallowing issues. Part II covers the clinical and instrumental assessment of patients, including the interdisciplinary feeding team infrastructure and function, the roles of individual members of the feeding team, the specific diagnostic tests commonly used in the assessment of feeding and swallowing issues, the classification of neonatal intensive care units, and the assessment and management of feeding and swallowing issues encountered in the neonatal intensive care unit. Part III focuses on the management of pediatric dysphagia, covering a wide range of treatment strategies and interventions for children with various categories of feeding disorders. Part IV includes an introduction to the concept of evidence-based practice and the application of evidence-based strategies in the management of dysphagia. Part V presents a brief overview of the role of ethics in healthcare and ethical considerations in the treatment of dysphagic children.

In summary, the overall aim of this comprehensive text is to provide all pediatric professionals involved in the care of dysphagic patients with a basic understanding of the complexity of this disorder, the anatomic, neurologic, and physiologic components involved in this disorder, an overview of the diverse population of children who suffer with this disorder, and with a wide range of management approaches based on patient needs and capabilities. The authors also address clinical problem solving and decision making, inspiring readers to develop multidisciplinary models of care at their own institutions.

Review

"The text is well set out throughout, with headed paragraphs, nicely reproduced tables and line diagrams and a comprehensive index. [...] This book should have a very wide appeal, addressing as it does a largely neglected topic, which requires an input from a host of specialists. Its greatest value in our speciality will be to those training in, or with an established practice in, paediatric otolaryngology."
—Liam M. Flood, FRCS, FRCSI, in Journal of Laryngology & Otology (March 2020)

Jay Paul Willging, MD, is a Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed his fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and has been a member of the Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at CCHMC since 1992. He is the Director of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Training Program and also the Director of Clinical Operations for the Otolaryngology Division. He has served as the Director of the Interdisciplinary Feeding Team since 1999, and is also an active participant in numerous other multidisciplinary programs, including the Aerodigestive and Esophageal Center, the Craniofacial Anomaly Team, the Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing Safety Clinic, and the Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Clinic. Dr. Willging has numerous peer-reviewed clinical and research publications and has been a longstanding contributor to textbooks on a wide range of otolaryngology topics, particularly feeding and swallowing disorders.

Claire Kane Miller, PhD, MHA, CCC-SLP, is the Program Director of the Aerodigestive and Esophageal Center's Interdisciplinary Feeding Team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where she also assumes a clinical position in the Division of Speech-Language Pathology. She holds a faculty appointment as a field service Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where she is an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her research and clinical interests are in the area of pediatric dysphagia, with a focus on instrumental swallowing assessment and the clinical management of medically fragile infants and children with congenital and acquired airway and digestive anomalies. She has authored publications and presented nationally and internationally on aspects of pediatric dysphagia.

Aliza P. Cohen, MA, is a medical and science writer who has spent more than three decades working in academic medicine. During this time, she has worked collaboratively with faculty and fellows in pediatric surgery, pediatric neurology, pediatric pulmonary and sleep medicine, and pediatric otolaryngology. She has coauthored numerous articles and book chapters on a wide array of topics within these disciplines and has dedicated her efforts to mentoring fellows and faculty in the pursuit of excellence in writing.