Nutritional manifestations in OA (oesophageal atresia) /TOF (tracheo -oesophageal fistula)
- infants and children may fail to thrive due to eating and absorption difficulties
- growth and puberty may be delayed, especially in those born with long gap OA
- calorie intake may be less than needed even in adulthood
- vitamin D, iron and micronutrients may be deficient
- malnutrition can occur, especially in long-gap OA (1,2)
Weaning and feeding in infants and children
Many feeding difficulties can occur in infants born with OA/TOF due to a combination of dysphagia, GORD and sometimes oral aversion.
- weaning may be later
- certain foods- meat, apples, bread, raw vegetables- may not be managed, causing bolus obstruction and choking
- a small minority may need intensive treatment for oral aversion (refusal to eat any solid food) (3)
Contributor:
- Dr Caroline Love (August 2022)
- Associate Specialist in Dermatology at York Hospitals Trust; Adult born with OA/TOF and representative of TOFS charity
Reference:
- Presse N, Taillefer J, Maynard S, Bouin M. Insufficient Body Weight of Adults Born With Esophageal Atresia. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2016 Mar;62(3):469-73.
- Pelizzo G, Destro F, Selvaggio GGO, Maestri L, Roveri M, Bosetti A, et al. Esophageal Atresia: Nutritional Status and Energy Metabolism to Maximize Growth Outcome. Children (Basel). 2020 Nov 14;7(11):E228
- Puntis, John. Feeding difficulties. In The TOF Book by David Crabbe and Vicki Martin