About

Training Years: 2021–2023

Training Site: UNC Project – Malawi

Country: Malawi

Mentors: Eric McCollum, MD, MPH; Tisungane Mvalo, MMED PAED

Title: “Evaluating the risk and impact of aspiration in breastfed infants with severe pneumonia in Malawi”

Program Objectives:
Aim 1. Elucidate the association between swallowing and hypoxemia in breastfed children hospitalized with pneumonia in Malawi. We hypothesize an increased frequency and severity of hypoxemia in children with versus without signs of swallow dysfunction.
Aim 2. Compare temporal swallow-breathing patterns, as surrogate markers of swallow dysfunction and increased aspiration risk, in children hospitalized with respiratory distress compared to age and sex matched healthy controls using digitally recorded cervical auscultation (CA) sounds. We hypothesize breastfed children with respiratory distress will have more frequent swallow-breathing pertubations suggestive of swallow dysfunction compared to matched controls.
Aim 3. Determine the perceptions and attitudes around feeding practices among mothers of infants hospitalized for pneumonia in Malawi. We hypothesize that the perception of holding feeds or feeding infants via nasogastric tube during hospitalization will be viewed as negative amongst mothers.

NIH Support: NHLBI