For a child with dysphagia (e.g., cerebral palsy), what feeding strategy reduces aspiration risk?

• A. Inverted seating.
• B. Thickened liquids, pureed textures, upright seating, and paced feeding.
• C. Thin liquids and fast feeding.
• D. Standing while feeding.

Answer: (C)

When a child has dysphagia, the goal is to lower the chance of food or liquid entering the airway by adjusting how they eat. Upright seating helps align the head, neck, and esophagus and uses gravity to support safe swallowing, while paced feeding gives the child time to chew, swallow, and clear the airway between swallows. Modifying texture—providing thickened liquids and pureed or softer, cohesive textures—slows down the flow and makes swallowing easier to control, reducing the likelihood of aspiration. In contrast, thin liquids can flow too quickly and fast feeding can overwhelm swallow coordination, increasing aspiration risk. Standing during feeding and unusual positions disrupt airway protection, so they’re not recommended. Altogether, planning feeds with upright posture, texture modification, and pacing provides the best reduction in aspiration risk for a child with dysphagia.