Home › Swallowing Disorders › NCT04504227

Effect of Thickened Feeds on Swallow Physiology in Children With Dysphagia

Who can join

Up to age 21 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 0 to 21 years
* Admitted to Boston Children's Hospital after experiencing first lifetime BRUE, or with dysphagia symptoms such that they would be at risk for BRUE or other symptoms of swallowing difficulty
* Have had videofluoroscopic swallow study performed or might have future videofluoroscopic swallow study performed.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any pre-existing medical diagnoses that exclude brief resolved unexplained event diagnosis including seizure disorders and cyanotic congenital heart disease
* Any nasal/pharyngeal/esophageal anomalies that might affect safe placement of the pharyngeal motility catheter
* Children fed exclusively by enteral tube
* Allergy to rice cereal or Gelmix thickener, which will be used to adjust liquid viscosity

About the study

This 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.

What is being tested

• Thin liquid swallows (dietary supplement)
• Slightly thickened liquid swallows (dietary supplement)
• Mildly thickened liquid swallows (dietary supplement)
• Moderately thickened liquid swallows (dietary supplement)

Sponsor: Boston Children's Hospital · Participants: 200 · Started: Apr 1, 2021

Contact the study team

• Daniel R Duncan, MD, MPH · Phone: 617-355-0897

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT04504227

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Swallowing Disorders

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 2, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.