Food Refusal, Dysphagia, and Odynophagia

Food refusal, dysphagia, and odynophagia may represent symptoms of a wide array of underlying anatomical or functional upper aerodigestive disorders along with a behavioral overlay. It is imperative that the specialist has a detailed understanding of the upper aerodigestive tract as this can have an impact on making correct and timely decisions for diagnostic studies and treatment choices. The management of younger children presenting with food refusal or swallowing dysfunction tends to be more challenging, and an interdisciplinary approach is felt to be most effective in addressing this issue.