swallow study and toddler reflux

KKSBeans

K chokes on her saliva on the reg. I mean daily and even in her sleep. I mentioned it to the pediatrician yesterday and he ordered a swallow study to make sure she's not aspirating. Then I mentioned she has spit up/threw up curdled milk a 5 or more times in the past month and he now thinks the choking is because of reflux and started her on prevacid too.

I know reflux was common when they were infants, but not so much now. Anyone dealt with toddler reflux or do a swallow study ?

Holly_1007

colby had a swallow study done when he was younger (6ish months i think?) They had him lay down on an xray table and drink a bottle of barium while under live x ray. He actually really cooperated. he drank the bottle no problem, barely even fussed. The barium turned his poop white for the next few days while he was working it out. we made the appointment first thing in the morning because he wasnt supposed to eat before hand (they wanted to make sure he was hungry enough to drink the bottle).

KKSBeans

OK, so it doesn't sound too major. So what did they find out from his ?

Flamingemu

L's reflux seems to be going into toddlerhood. We are trying to wean from her meds for the 5th time - taking it ridiculously slow to see if she is gtg. At this point it does not interfere with her life. She know she takes meds first thing in the morning and before she goes to bed. She coorporates taking all meds now since she is so used to it.

The pedi told us at the 18 month that if weaning fails this time, we are just going to keep her on the meds since they are working.

Holly_1007

KKSBeans said:

OK, so it doesn't sound too major. So what did they find out from his ?

I feel like at the ages our LOs are now, the hardest part is going to be getting her to lay still. I didn't really know what I was seeing at the time and I was really emotional (irrational). They are watching to see if any of the barium comes back up the esophagus after he drinks it. I also gave Colby his reflux medicine, because I didn't receive the prep paperwork until after our x ray, so double check with your doctor before you go in!

watercolor5

I totally had that swallow test done on me.  That's how I got diagnosed with a sliding hiatal hernia- the hiatus, or top of my stomach slides into my esophagus when I reflux, but then slides back down afterward.  Weird stuff, but I know at least with infants who have reflux, hernias like that are pretty common- no idea about toddlers or when they stop though. 

The test was NBD for an adult- true that the hardest part will probably be keeping your toddler still-ish though I don't think they have to be completely immobile.

KKSBeans

jlk6 said:

They may do this with her sitting up since she is older and will probably put the barium in a sippy and maybe even have her eat some food that is mixed with barium, like applesauce, crackers, peaches.

hopefully it will be crackers, because she is anti applesauce and peaches lol. Thanks for all of your responses. It makes be feel a little better that it will hopefully be nbd