If your child has complex airway, digestive or lung issues, MU Health Care provides expert, personalized care to support their health and well-being.

When breathing, eating or sleeping is hard, it can impact every part of your child’s life. Our Aerodigestive Program is designed to bring together a variety of specialists to meet their unique needs.

Our Aerodigestive Program Focuses on Your Child’s Needs

At MU Health Care, your child’s comfort and care come first. From newborns to teens, we support your family every step of the way.

The term “aerodigestive” refers to the connected systems that help your child breathe, eat and digest, including the: 

  • Mouth and throat (oropharynx)
  • Voice box (larynx)
  • Windpipe (trachea)
  • Lungs
  • Food pipe (esophagus)
  • Stomach 

Our Aerodigestive Program may be right for you if your child:

  • Has trouble eating or drinking
  • Struggles to gain weight
  • Coughs or chokes frequently while eating
  • Has a persistent wet cough or raspy voice
  • Gets pneumonia often
  • Has been hospitalized multiple times for cold-like illnesses
  • Was diagnosed with asthma before 6 months of age

Your child may have additional medical needs or histories if they were born prematurely, stayed in the NICU or have cerebral palsy, global developmental delays or a genetic syndrome.

Coordinated Care in One Place

Aerodigestive conditions are often complex because breathing and digestion are closely connected. That’s why your child’s care team includes multiple specialists working together to find solutions.

Depending on your child’s needs, their care team may include experts in:

  • Otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat)
  • Pulmonology (lungs)
  • Gastroenterology (digestive tract)
  • Speech pathology (feeding and swallowing)
  • Nutrition (registered dietitians)
  • Social work
  • Pediatric surgery (general and cardiothoracic)
  • Pediatric neurology
  • Pediatric genetics
  • Pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation

You’ll also have personalized guidance from our dedicated Aerodigestive Program coordinator. Our specially trained nurse helps you feel informed, supported and cared for throughout your child’s treatment.

Aerodigestive Conditions We Treat

MU Health Care aerodigestive specialists diagnose and treat a wide range of breathing, digestive and lung conditions in children, including:

Breathing Conditions

  • Stertor, stridor or wheezing: These noisy breathing sounds may be signs of airway issues like tracheal stenosis or vocal cord paralysis.
  • Laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia or bronchomalacia: Soft or floppy tissue in the voice box, windpipe or lungs can cause noisy or difficult breathing.
  • Vascular ring or sling: These rare blood vessel formations can press on the airway or esophagus, making it harder for your child to breathe or swallow.
  • Laryngeal or tracheoesophageal clefts: Abnormal openings between the airway and esophagus can cause food or liquid to enter the lungs. These conditions may require surgery to improve swallowing and protect breathing.

Digestive Conditions

  • Eosinophilic esophagitis: This autoimmune condition causes inflammation in the esophagus, making it harder to eat and swallow.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD): When stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, it can cause discomfort or feeding issues.
  • Feeding and swallowing disorders: Conditions like dysphagia, chronic aspiration or G-tube dependency can make eating safely and effectively more difficult.

Lung Conditions

  • Aspiration pneumonia or pneumonitis: These lung infections are caused by food or liquids entering the airway and are often recurring or chronic.
  • Chronic cough: A persistent cough may indicate underlying airway or swallowing issues.

How We Diagnose Aerodigestive Conditions in Children

After a conversation about your child’s symptoms and medical history, and a physical exam, we may order the following tests to diagnose an aerodigestive condition: 

  • Blood tests
  • Breathing tests
  • Impedance/pH probe to measure acid in the esophagus
  • Swallow study (video fluoroscopic)
  • Imaging of the chest or esophagus (X-rays or computed tomography)
  • Flexible laryngoscopy to view the throat and voice box

The “Triple Scope” Advantage

If your child needs a full evaluation of the upper aerodigestive tract, we offer a coordinated approach called triple endoscopy, or “triple scope.”

This set of three procedures is done together, in one setting, by different specialists. It limits your child’s exposure to anesthesia and gives a more complete view of what’s going on.

The triple scope includes:

Related Conditions & Treatments