LUNCH: Lung Ultrasound for early detection of silent and apparent aspiratioN in infants and young CHildren with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities: a new, fast, safe, cost-effective infant-friendly imaging tool to easily monitor feeding, improve outcomes and reduce morbidities
About the Study
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The study will test the effectiveness of lung ultrasound (LUS) in the dynamic assessment of aspiration related to abnormal swallowing in infants and young children with neurological impairment (cerebral palsy/developmental disabilities). Neither standardized measure is available, nor protocols for invasive fibre-optic endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES) and x-Ray videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) to be used in such population. LUS offers several advantages over standard of care assessments. All these advantages may lead infants to improve clinical behavioural and neurological outcomes and reduce stressful interactions with caregivers, and to reduce morbidities and hospitalization costs for respiratory and non-respiratory complications related to swallowing disorders.
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Contact
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Simona Fiori sfiori@fsm.unipi.it
Elena Moretti emoretti@fsm.unipi.it
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