Children with airway or esophageal conditions may cough often, choke during feeds, gag while eating, or have trouble swallowing safely. Some children silently aspirate, meaning food or liquid enters the airway and lungs without obvious choking. Over time, this can lead to recurrent pneumonia, noisy breathing, feeding aversions, poor weight gain, or chronic lung irritation. Our team works together to identify the cause and create a treatment plan that supports safer feeding and breathing.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis is a chronic inflammatory condition where certain white blood cells build up in the esophagus, causing swelling and irritation. Children may experience trouble swallowing, vomiting, food getting stuck, chest discomfort, reflux-like symptoms, or feeding difficulties. Some children also have motility concerns, meaning the muscles and nerves that move food through the esophagus do not work normally. Our airway and esophageal specialists partner closely with pediatric GI experts to diagnose and manage these conditions.

The esophagus can become narrowed or damaged after surgery, severe reflux, swallowed batteries or objects, or accidental exposure to harmful substances. Scar tissue may form as the esophagus heals, making it difficult or painful for children to swallow food or liquids. Symptoms may include gagging, vomiting, food getting stuck, chest discomfort, or refusal to eat. Treatment may involve imaging, endoscopy, dilation procedures, or long-term follow-up to help preserve safe swallowing and esophageal function.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease occurs when stomach contents repeatedly flow backward into the esophagus. In some children, reflux also affects the airway, leading to coughing, choking, wheezing, recurrent pneumonia, chronic throat irritation, or worsening breathing symptoms. Children with complex airway or esophageal conditions may experience more severe reflux that requires specialized evaluation and treatment. Our team works to reduce symptoms, protect the airway, and improve feeding and comfort.

Subglottic and tracheal stenosis happen when part of the airway becomes narrower than normal, making it harder for air to move in and out of the lungs. Some children are born with airway narrowing, while others develop it after illness, prolonged intubation, or injury. Symptoms may include noisy breathing, recurrent croup, wheezing, difficulty exercising, or stridor, a high-pitched sound heard during breathing. Our team uses specialized airway evaluations to determine the severity of narrowing and recommend the right treatment approach.

Tracheoesophageal Fistula and esophageal atresia are congenital conditions where the airway and esophagus do not form correctly before birth. In TEF, there is an abnormal connection between the trachea and esophagus. In EA, part of the esophagus does not fully develop. Some children have long-gap EA, where the two ends of the esophagus are too far apart to connect easily. Babies with these conditions often need surgery shortly after birth and may continue to need specialized care for feeding, swallowing, reflux, airway problems, and growth as they get older.

These conditions occur when parts of the airway are softer or weaker than normal and partially collapse during breathing. Depending on where the weakness occurs, children may have noisy breathing, wheezing, barking cough, feeding difficulties, pauses in breathing, or frequent respiratory infections. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may worsen during illness, crying, feeding, or activity. Our team carefully evaluates airway function to determine whether observation, therapy, medication, or surgery may help improve breathing and quality of life.

Vascular rings and slings are rare conditions where blood vessels form abnormally and wrap around or press against the airway or esophagus. This pressure can make breathing or swallowing difficult and may cause noisy breathing, chronic cough, choking, feeding difficulties, reflux symptoms, or recurrent respiratory infections. Some children are diagnosed in infancy, while others are not diagnosed until later childhood after ongoing unexplained symptoms. Our specialists use advanced imaging and coordinated care to evaluate how the airway and esophagus are affected.

Problems involving the vocal cords or airway can affect breathing, voice, swallowing, and airway protection. Vocal cord paralysis may happen after surgery, birth differences, neurologic conditions, or injury and can lead to noisy breathing, weak cry, choking, or feeding difficulties. Airway lesions, cysts, or growths can partially block airflow and cause breathing symptoms that worsen over time. Some children also require complex tracheostomy care for long-term airway support. Our multidisciplinary team provides ongoing airway evaluations, surgical expertise, feeding support, and coordinated long-term care for children with complex airway needs.