[Dysphagia] thickening breast milk

[MICHAEL at email.chop.edu (Staci Michael)]

Glad this was brought up and i hope we can get some feedback from everyone who has found this to be a complicated issue!  We are currently visiting the whole issue of thickening here with our dieticians following a few controversial situations so this conversation is timely.  Due to the enzymes in breast milk I have yet to find anything that will thicken breast milk for those aspirating-breast fed babes.  I have heard simply thick will work, we have just received samples but have not put it to test yet, and I don't know about using with infants.  

Of further discussion I'd like feedback on is regarding thickening bottles for babes under a year of age.  Seems many of us feel it is not good to use commercial thickeners under a year of age (by the way can we get some clarification on the reasons why?)- under 4 months that pretty much leaves rice or oatmeal cereal which come with its own set of complications (clogging, cut nipples, displaced calories) but we deal.  My question is regarding the use of baby food as a thickener for the older infant.  Any thoughts/opinions here?  

>>> <sorriso@adelphia.net> 07/07/04 07:45PM >>>
There was a post today on the ASHA Division 13 listserv asking about how to thicken breast milk.  Given the debates on this list about thickening liquids in other populations I was wondering what the consensus is about breast milk.  So far no one has offered a solution that works and no one has questioned why it's needed in the first place.

I'm hoping this starts a lively conversation!

Linda A. Zanchi, MA CCC-SLP


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