Airway Basics
This structure covers the airway during swallowing to help prevent aspiration.
What is the epiglottis?
Collapse of supraglottic structures that causes noisy breathing in infants.
What is laryngomalacia?
Reduced muscle tone that can make feeding inefficient.
What is hypotonia?
The first and most important physiologic functions for the newborn infant.
What is establishing and maintaining an adequate airway?
This sign during respiration may be associated with pooling of secretions in the airway.
What is gurgling?
In early infancy, children primarily breathe through this.
What is the nose?
An abnormal opening between the larynx and esophagus.
What is a laryngeal cleft?
Increased muscle tone that can disrupt swallow timing.
What is hypertonia?
A low-pitched snorting or grunting indicating a partial obstruction of the nose of pharynx
What is stertor?
This type of surgical intervention is most likely to cause unilateral vocal fold paralysis
What is cardiac?
The phase of swallowing where airway protection is most critical.
What is the pharyngeal phase?
A congenital blockage of the posterior nasal airway.
What is choanal atresia?
A common reason children with neurologic impairment aspirate: this is delayed.
What is swallow initiation?
This often worsens breathing during feeding in infants with airway problems.
What is stridor?
Assessment of an infant's cry or child's voice may reveal hoarseness of dysphonia due to this disorder.
What is abnormal vocal fold approximation?
This upward and forward movement helps close the airway during a swallow.
What is laryngeal elevation?
A condition involving an abnormal connection between the trachea and esophagus.
What is tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF)?
Weak cough and poor airway closure are often seen with this condition.
What is vocal fold paralysis?
Signs that suggest possible aspiration during feeding.
What is coughing, wet voice, or color change?
A congenital narrowing of the back of the nasal cavity that causes difficulty breathing that causes infants to have cyanosis (a bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood) at rest, which is relieved when the infant breathes through the mouth.
What is Choanal Atresia?
Name the two systems that must be perfectly coordinated during safe feeding.
What are breathing and swallowing?
Narrowing below the vocal folds that increases work of breathing.
What is subglottic stenosis?
Name one neurologic condition commonly associated with feeding/swallowing disorders.
What is cerebral palsy? (or brain injury, genetic syndrome)
Increased work of breathing, increased respiratory rate, stridor, apnea, or cyanosis.
What are signs of airway distress?
A pathological condition where stomach contents are regurgitated and have a negative impact on the health and well-being of the child.
What GERD?