The Aerodigestive Clinic at Gillette offers support and answers for families who think their child may be experiencing aerodigestive problems such as drooling, coughing, choking, difficulty swallowing, and aspiration.
How the Aerodigestive Clinic Helps
The Aerodigestive tract controls a person’s breathing, swallowing, and digestion. It’s a complex and coordinated system that directly impacts the body’s growth and development. Disorders of the aerodigestive system can crossover systems and specialties, which makes Gillette’s multidisciplinary approach to patient care perfect for getting your child a comprehensive treatment plan.
Gillette’s care team in the Aerodigestive Clinic includes a pediatric Complex Care physician, a pulmonologist, a pediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician, a respiratory therapist and a speech pathologist. Seeing so many medical experts in one appointment helps families navigate the complex medical needs of children with airway, respiratory, gastrointestinal and feeding concerns.
What is the Aerodigestive Clinic?
Aerodigestive issues can look like drooling, coughing, choking, difficulty swallowing, and aspiration. The Aerodigestive Clinic team will evaluate and create a treatment plan for children who have these symptoms or aerodigestive conditions like:
- Acid reflux
- Cerebral palsy
- Choanal atresia
- Chronic aspiration
- Chronic lung disease
- Cleft lip and palate
- Deviated septum
- Drooling
- Encephalocele
- Enlarged adenoids
- Eosinophilic esophagitis (chronically-inflamed esophagus)
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Global developmental delay
- Laryngomalacia
- Laryngeal cleft
- Laryngeal web
- Macroglossia
- Micrognathia
- Midface hypoplasia
- Neurocognitive delay
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Oral aversion
- Pyriform aperture stenosis
- Subglottic stenosis
- Tracheal stenosis
- Tracheoesophageal fistula
- Tracheomalacia
- Vallecular cyst
- Vocal cord immobility
What to Expect at the Aerodigestive Clinic
At our Aerodigestive Clinic, Gillette patients from age 1 to 40 will see many medical experts in one visit, including a pediatric Complex Care physician, a pulmonologist, a pediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician, a respiratory therapist and a speech pathologist. These experts work together as a multidisciplinary team to evaluate, screen and diagnose children who are experiencing aerodigestive problems. They will also assist in creating a treatment plan.
Gillette’s team of specialists will:
- Conduct a comprehensive same-day evaluation of your child’s aerodigestive tract.
- Coordinate testing and evaluation both before and during appointments.
- Work with you and your child to establish a treatment plan.
Integrated Care
Providers who make up the Aerodigestive Clinic at Gillette might collaborate with a wide range of Gillette specialists to provide a comprehensive treatment plan for your child.
We also work closely with specialists in:
Locations
To learn more about how the Aerodigestive Clinic can help, call: