About the Clinic
The DU-PHAGIA Pediatric Specialty Clinic is dedicated to supporting families and improving the lives of infants and children who experience feeding and/or swallowing difficulties, also known as dysphagia and pediatric feeding disorder (PFD). Our clinic offers comprehensive assessment, individualized treatment, and family-centered care for children from birth through early childhood.
Scope of Pediatric Dysphagia
- Affects approximately 1 in 37 children in the United States
- Can be associated with premature birth, neurological conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, genetic syndromes, respiratory conditions, congenital heart disease, and/or behavioral challenges
- May present as:
- Difficulty sucking, chewing, or swallowing
- Refusal to eat or limited food preferences
- Poor weight gain or growth
- Frequent gagging, coughing, or choking during meals
- Respiratory issues related to aspiration
Feeding and swallowing challenges are more than just “picky eating” or occasional difficulty at mealtime. These difficulties can significantly impact a child's health, growth, development, and quality of life, as well as place considerable stress on families/caregivers. Early identification and intervention are critical to preventing long-term complications such as, malnutrition, growth delays, oral aversion, and/or impaired developmental progress.
Our Services
At the DU-PHAGIA Clinic, we provide a collaborative family-centered and evidence-based approach to assessment and treatment.
Assessment Services
- Comprehensive clinical feeding and swallowing assessments
- Observation of breastfeeding and/or bottle-feeding in infants
- Oral sensorimotor assessments
- Mealtime observations and analysis of feeding behaviors
Treatment Services
- Individualized feeding and/or swallowing therapy
- Oral sensorimotor and swallowing skill development
- Strategies to reduce aspiration risk and support airway protection
- Feeding therapy for texture progression and food variety expansion
- Sensory-based feeding interventions for children with aversions
- Parent and caregiver coaching for home practice and carryover