How to Prevent Aspiration in Infants

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Aspiration is a common yet often scary issue that occurs when foods or liquids enter your baby’s airway and lungs. While aspiration can happen to any infant, it’s often caused by an underlying issue such as a muscular swallowing dysfunction, acid reflux disease, or a structural abnormality. To help prevent your baby from aspirating, you can first try altering your baby’s feeding methods to help them swallow and digest foods and liquids properly. If your baby is still at high risk for aspiration, medication, a feeding tube, or surgery may be needed to address the underlying cause.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Feeding Your Baby Correctly

PDF download Download Article
  1. To ensure that your baby’s foods and liquids are swallowed properly, elevate your baby’s head by at least 30 degrees during feedings. [1] Gravity will make it easier for your baby to swallow and help the food or liquids move safely into your baby’s stomach.
    • If your infant is a little older and able to sit up, encourage them to do so every time they eat, particularly once they start consuming more solid foods.
  2. To help prevent aspiration, avoid feeding your infant for about 90 minutes before putting them down for the night or a nap. If there is any food or liquid in your baby’s mouth or throat, placing them in a lying position could heighten the risk of aspiration. [2]
    • By waiting 90 minutes, you can make sure that your baby’s food and liquids have been properly swallowed.
    Advertisement
  3. This will give your baby more time to swallow properly and have less food to digest in between feedings, reducing the risk of aspiration. When changing your baby’s meal plan, however, make sure that you consult your pediatrician to ensure that your baby is the nutrition they need. [3]
  4. To help prevent your baby from aspirating, try feeding them slowly so that they have plenty of time to completely swallow food or liquids before ingesting any more. Feeding your baby in a slow, controlled pace can help them learn to suck in, swallow, and then breathe properly to avoid aspirating. [4]
    • If your baby has a condition that puts them at higher risk for aspiration, work with your pediatrician or a feeding therapist to determine the correct pacing for your baby’s feedings.
    • You can also buy slow-flow nipples for your bottles so your baby doesn’t drink as much liquid while they’re feeding.
  5. To prevent your baby from aspirating after drinking formula or breastmilk, you can add a thickening agent to your infant’s liquids. Always consult your pediatrician first, however, as the type and amount of thickener will vary depending on the cause of your infant’s increased risk for aspiration. [5]
    • Rice cereal and infant oatmeal are some of the most frequently used thickeners. [6]
    • After thickening your baby’s liquids, you may need to purchase a bottle with a larger nipple opening, or cut an “x” shape into your baby’s current bottles with scissors or a knife to let the liquid pass through. [7]
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Seeking Medical Intervention

PDF download Download Article
  1. While aspiration doesn’t always cause noticeable symptoms in infants, there are some signs that you can look for that may indicate your baby is aspirating. Aspiration can occur whenever the airway’s protective mechanisms are stressed, such as while laughing, eating, sleeping, or talking. If your baby exhibits any of these signs, seek medical attention immediately to ensure that your baby’s condition doesn’t get worse. [8]
    • In extreme cases, aspiration can cause your baby to choke. If this happens, you’ll need to do first aid to clear your baby’s airway.
    • The most common signs of aspiration in infants are weak sucking, coughing or gagging while feeding, slowed or quickened breathing while feeling, wet sounds after feeding, fever, and wheezing.
    • In addition, red face, watery eyes, and facial grimaces while feeding can be signs that your baby is aspirating.
    • Aspiration can cause repeated lung infections and pneumonia. If your baby is dealing with either of these conditions, ask your doctor is aspiration may be the cause.
  2. While aspiration can occur with any infant, it’s often caused by an underlying issue. If your baby exhibits the signs of aspiration, ask your pediatrician to examine them to determine if it’s because of an underlying cause. This will help you and your pediatrician determine the best course of action. [9]
    • Common causes of aspiration in infants include structural abnormalities (such as a cleft palate), acid reflux disease, delayed muscular growth from premature birth or Down syndrome, brain damage, infection, or neuromuscular disease (such as spinal muscular atrophy).
    • The initial evaluation usually involves the pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist observing a feeding. More diagnostic evaluations may include a videofluoroscopic swallow study, endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, X-rays, and flexible laryngoscopy.
  3. If your baby has gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), your pediatrician may prescribe an infant-safe antacid to help prevent aspiration caused by GERD. [10] Combined with alterations to your baby’s feeding method, antacids can reduce your baby’s risk of aspiration.
    • Be careful not to confuse overfeeding and spitting up with GERD. Try reducing the amount that you feed your baby to see if that helps.
  4. In some cases, aspiration occurs as the result of inflammation due to an infection or chronic disease that makes it difficult for your baby to swallow properly. If your pediatrician determines this is the cause of your baby’s aspiration, they will likely give your baby a prescription for antibiotics. [11]
    • Aspiration can also cause inflammation and infections, including aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia is also treated with antibiotics. [12]
  5. In rare cases, your pediatrician may determine that your baby needs a feeding tube to reduce the risk of aspiration. This generally only occurs when altering your baby’s positioning and food intake has not worked, or if your baby has a more severe condition that makes it unlikely they will be able to properly swallow foods and liquids on their own. [13]
    • A nasogastric tube is a thin tube that is usually inserted through your baby’s nose and goes down into the stomach.
    • While feeding tubes can be scary, they help make sure that your baby safely gets the proper nutrition they need.
    • Feeding tubes are usually only used temporarily while alternative solutions to your baby’s aspiration are considered. [14]
  6. If your baby has a structural abnormality such as a cleft palate, your baby’s doctor may determine that a surgical procedure is necessary to correct the underlying issue and ensure that your baby can safely swallow during feedings. In extreme cases, surgery may also be used to correct chronic reflux issues. [15]
    • Some of the structural abnormalities that can cause or increase the risk of aspiration are a cleft palate, esophageal atresia, laryngeal cleft, duodenal obstruction, and tracheoesophageal fistula.
    7. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Make 4 Different Types of Baby Wrap Carriers
      How to
      Hold a Newborn Baby: Safe and Proper Techniques
      Why Do Babies Bend Over and Look Between Their Legs?
      How to
      Use the Chinese Birth Gender Chart for Gender Selection
      11 Polite (But Firm) Tips to Help You Tell Family and Friends Not to Kiss Your Baby
      How to
      Tell a Baby's Gender from an Ultrasound
      How to
      Fold a Graco Stroller
      How to
      Dress Your Baby for Chilly Weather (50 Degrees)
      How to
      Assemble a Crib
      How to
      Install a Car Seat
      How to
      Bring a Baby to the Movies
      How to
      Wear a Moby Baby Wrap
      How to
      Choose a Baptismal Name
      How to
      Clean an Uncircumcised Child's Penis
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/a/aspiration-in-babies-and-children.html
      2. ↑ http://depts.washington.edu/growing/Feed/Aspir.htm
      3. ↑ http://depts.washington.edu/growing/Feed/Aspir.htm
      4. ↑ http://depts.washington.edu/growing/Feed/Aspir.htm
      5. ↑ http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/a/aspiration-in-children
      6. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/refluxininfants.html
      7. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/refluxininfants.html
      8. ↑ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/a/aspiration-in-babies-and-children.html
      9. ↑ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/a/aspiration-in-babies-and-children.html
      1. ↑ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/a/aspiration-in-babies-and-children.html
      2. ↑ http://child-foundation.org/what-is-child/child-disorders/aspiration-syndromes/
      3. ↑ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/a/aspiration-in-babies-and-children.html
      4. ↑ http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/a/aspiration-in-children
      5. ↑ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/a/aspiration-in-babies-and-children.html
      6. ↑ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/a/aspiration-in-babies-and-children.html

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 36,414 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement