Effect of Thickened Feeds on Swallow Physiology in Children With Dysphagia
DysphagiaAspiration2 moreThis study will examine the effects of varying liquid viscosity on swallow physiology in infants with oropharyngeal dysphagia and brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE) and other children with dysphagia that would be at risk for symptoms of swallow dysfunction.
Apparent Life Threatening Events, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Muscarinic Receptors
Apparent Life-Threatening Event in Infants Under One Year of AgeApparent Life-Threatening Events (ALTE) in infants often lead to severe neurological complications or to sudden death. In such situations, cardio-pediatricians and intensive care physicians have no specific diagnosis or treatment. In a recent translational research (INSERM-DHOS), our team has reported a myocardiac abnormality in a rabbit model of vagal hyperreactivity which is also present in the human hearts of infants deceased from sudden death, i.e. increased M2 muscarinic receptors (M2R) density associated with compensative increased enzymatic activity and overexpression of acetylcholine esterase (AchE). In a recent PHRC-I study (article in preparation), these abnormalities have also been observed in the blood of patients, infants as well as adults, exhibiting severe vagal syncopes. We observed, even more importantly, similar abnormalities in infants under 1 year of age with very severe idiopathic ALTE (iALTE) compared with normal subjects and with patients who presented ALTE with identified etiologies (JAMA Pediatric, 2016 May). The aim of this present study is to validate the overexpression of M2R as a marker of risk of iALTE in infant under 1 year.
Effect of Thickened Feeds on Clinical Outcomes in Children With Brief Resolved Unexplained Event...
Brief Resolved Unexplained EventApparent Life Threatening Event1 moreThis observational study will examine the effects of thickened feeds on clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization in infants with brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE).
A Trial of Thickened Feeds to Treat Gastroesophageal Reflux in Children Admitted After Choking Spell...
Apparent Life Threatening EventGastroesophageal Reflux1 moreInfants often present to the hospital with episodes of coughing, choking, gagging, change in muscle tone, and/or change in skin color, known as brief resolved unexplained event. Many studies have tried to address why infants have these symptoms and if there is a way to prevent them from happening again. Currently, there is no clear agreement on the most common cause of these symptoms or how to prevent them. Some studies have suggested that gastroesophageal reflux can cause these symptoms. The investigators are conducting a study of infants who are admitted to Boston Children's Hospital with episodes of coughing, choking, gagging, change in muscle tone, and/or change in skin color, symptoms that could be reflux. The investigators want to determine if these symptoms can be prevented by changing the way infants are fed, either by giving them a formula to treat reflux or by thickening their feeds to treat reflux. The goal of the study is to determine if different types of feeding interventions prevent infants from coming back to the hospital.
Identifying the Most Accurate Method for Predicting the Safe Depth of Orally Placed Neonatal Endotracheal...
Infant Showing No Response to ResuscitationVentilator Adverse Event1 morePlacing artificial airways in infants is often performed under emergent life-saving conditions, which necessitates a procedure that is both accurate and efficient. Intubations of the newborn are often necessary before an accurate weight can be reported and estimations are often inaccurate. The current national standard uses body weight to predict the appropriate tube depth yet this approach tends to place the tube too deep for the smallest and most vulnerable neonate; and placement accuracy of any size infant is only 50-70%. The consequence of malpositioned ETTs resulting from poor oxygenation, lung hyperinflation, pneumothoraces and death has been suggested to cost $20 to $54 million annually. The morbidity and the financial impact suggest an optimal and accurate approach to place ETT in neonates has not been identified. Other methods to estimate the proper depth of the orotracheal tube have shown promise yet no comparison studies have been performed. Identifying the most accurate method to safely place neonatal orotracheal tubes will improve placement precision and reduce adverse events and their associated costs. Hypothesis Compared to weight, sternal to xyphoid length and shoulder to elbow length, the nasal to tragus length will become the most accurate method for predicting the safe depth of orally placed neonatal endotracheal tubes.
Incidence of BRUE Among the Hospitalized Infants: Towards a Change in Medical Practices?
Brief Resolved Unexplained Events (BRUE)The malaise of the infant represents a polymorphic pathology in its clinical presentation. Due to the young age of the patients concerned and the parental anxiety generated, hospital management is necessary, for clinical and paraclinical evaluation and monitoring. The practice of complementary examinations is guided by personal and family history, and the precise description of the discomfort as well as clinical examination of the child and assessment of his vital parameters. However, in view of the particular terrain represented by infants under one year of age, a number of tests are carried out systematically, and therefore empirically, because they are not guided by the clinic. These various tests can be invasive, anxiety-provoking for parents and generate a significant additional cost during hospital management. An evaluation of the indication and interest of these tests is necessary in order to propose a homogeneous clinical and paraclinical management of the discomfort of the infant, in particular of discomforts of type BRUE (Brief Resolved Unexplained Events), as described in the 2016 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations.