title: Dysphagia in the high-risk infant: potential factors and mechanisms.
abstract: Neonatal dysphagia, or abnormalities of swallowing, represent a major global problem, and consequences of dysfunctional feeding patterns carry over into infancy and toddler age groups. Growth, development, and independent feeding skills are all delayed among high-risk infants. Such a group comprises premature birth, low-birth-weight, congenital anomalies, perinatal asphyxia, postsurgical, and sepsis categories. The conflict between pathophysiologic and pragmatic feeding strategies remains a major conundrum and is largely due to a lack of validated diagnostic approaches amid heterogeneity of the patient phenotype. Thus, well-tested feeding management strategies that can be generalizable are lacking. Furthermore, the aerodigestive symptoms and signs, potential risk factors, and contributory etiologies remain nonspecific. This article presents mechanistic evidence related to the pathophysiologic basis of neonatal dysphagia as well as potential opportunities to improve feeding abilities and long-term development.
authors.affiliation: Nationwide Children's Hospital Research Institute and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH sudarshan.jadcherla@nationwidechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Sudarshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jadcherla
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000639:trends; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000639:trends; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D055495:Neurogenesis; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D057285:Precision Medicine; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: aerodigestive reflexes; dysphagia; feeding disorders; gastroesophageal reflux; neonate