The clinicians in the Aerodigestive Center are at the forefront of research and innovation for pediatric disorders of the respiratory and digestive systems. Our clinical research advances include:
- Pioneering the use of motility testing in patients with respiratory symptoms, including in post-lung transplant patients
- Promoting oral feeding, even in patients who aspirate all textures, which results in improved feeding outcomes
- Developing guidelines that have helped reduce the number of gastrostomy tubes in all aspirating patients at Boston Children’s Hospital from 11 percent to 4 percent
- Developing a rapid NG tube wean to oral feeding program — helped wean 76 percent of children from nasogastric (NG) tubes over the past year
- Spearheading the use of blenderized food instead of formulas
- Eliminating the use of the LLMI and "red airways" as a test for GERD
- Eliminating the use of pH probes at Boston Children's
- Changing the BRUE evaluation to include video fluoroscopic swallow studies
In addition, our clinicians are authors on international consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and management of GERD, the management of children with esophageal atresia, and the utility of esophageal motility testing in children.