Aerodigestive Program at Children's Hospital Colorado
The Aerodigestive Program is dedicated to providing comprehensive, state-of-the-art treatment and services for children with complex airway, respiratory and gastrointestinal track disorders.
Why choose Children’s for treatment for Aerodigestive Care?
The Aerodigestive Program at Children's Hospital Colorado is the only one of its kind in the Western United States. The team is dedicated to the comprehensive and multidisciplinary management of children with complex airway and digestive tract disorders. We treat only children all day, everyday – making us experts when it comes to caring for kids.
Our patients' families are considered an essential element of the health care team and are encouraged to participate in planning the patient’s treatment course. This family-centered care approach allows for greater efficiency in scheduling visits and procedures. In addition, family-centered care provides the opportunity for improved patient and family education, which can help improve the overall patient experience and outcome.
Read about one family's experience with the Aerodigestive Program.
Our core team consists of devoted and highly-skilled physicians, nurses and other health care professionals from the following departments in our hospital:
Meet the Aerodigestive Team
Download our patient questionnaire/intake form to fill out before your appointment (En Espanol).
Specific conditions treated
The Aerodigestive Program focuses on the care of complex disorders of the aerodigestive tract, which includes the organs and tissues of the respiratory tract and the upper part of the digestive tract. Examples of commonly seen conditions include:
- Laryngeal and tracheal stenosis
- Tracheostomy dependence
- Vocal cord paralysis
- Aspiration and other disorders of swallowing
- Gastroesophageal reflux with breathing problems
- Congenital esophageal disorders with airway or breathing problems (e.g. tracheoesophageal fistula)
- CHARGE syndrome and other conditions that affect neurologic and muscular control
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Chronic lung disease
- Bronchiectasis
- Noisy breathing
- Breathing problems with concerns for reflux or aspiration
- Airway abnormalities to include stenosis, laryngo or tracheomalicia
- Tracheomalacia
- Bronchomalacia
- Laryngeal cleft
- Chronic care for TEF patients
Services offered
In addition to the services our dedicated Aerodigestive team offers, we partner with other departments in the hospital to ensure your child is receiving the best well-rounded care. When you bring your child to us for a visit, you can expect the following:
- A comprehensive same-day visit with The Breathing Institute, ENT and Digestive Institute, as well as the Swallowing team
- Excellent patient and family education
- Condensed evaluations and limited sedation for procedures
- Coordinated communication with your primary care physicians
- A focus on quality outcomes for patients with complex health problems
