ORCHID Annual Report 2023 - Flipbook - Page 25
Supervisors: Dr Christina Smith, Professor Jo Wray, Professor Paolo De Coppi
May 2019 - July 2024
Project update
Project Aims:
1. To describe the nature of pharyngeal and oesophageal stage dysphagia in children under 1 year of age
with repaired OA/TOF
2. To describe the parental experiences of establishing feeding and mealtimes in children with OA/TOF
3. To determine how feeding difficulties associated with OA/TOF impact on parental quality of life and
wellbeing
4. To inform design of future large-scale studies of feeding/swallowing in children with OA/TOF
The SaFE project consists of three work packages, the results of which will be synthesized to meet the
project aims. Work package one involves recruitment of infants with repaired OA/TOF, who undergo
innovative assessment using high resolution impedance manometry and videofluoroscopy to detail swallow
physiology and development over the first year of life. In 2023 recruitment was completed, with 12 infants
taking part. Work package 2 used an online forum to explore parental experiences of feeding children with
OA/TOF. These data have been analysed and were used to develop a questionnaire to further our
understanding of the complex interaction of swallow dysfunction, medical co-morbidities and parent factors
on feeding-related quality of life. Data collection was completed in 2023. Analysis of this data is ongoing.
Work package 3 is a systematic review of feeding and swallowing outcomes, which was submitted for
publication in 2023 (under review).
Digital Profile:
ORCiD ID: 0000-0003-2170-6769
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gv6rxKEAAAAJ&hl=en
Peer reviewed publications
Hanks E, Stewart A, AuâYeung C K, Johnson E, & Smith C H. (2023). Consensus on level descriptors for a
functional children's eating and drinking activity scale. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 65(9):
1199-1205.https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15542
Stewart A, Smith CH, Govender R, Eaton S, De Coppi P, Wray J. (2023) Qualitative research: A different
option
on
the
menu.
Journal
of
Pediatric
Surgery,
58(4):782-3.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2022.11.004
Conference presentations
Stewart A. Parents9 experiences of feeding children born with oesophageal atresia/tracheo-oesophageal
fistula. European Society of Swallowing Disorders, Toulouse, France, 30 November-2 December 2023
Invited talks
Stewart A. Feeding difficulties and dysphagia management: the role of Speech and Language Therapists.
European Society of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Conference, Vienna, Austria, 17-20 May
2023
Stewart A. Integrating advances in paediatric dysphagia with family-centred care. Amrita Dysphagia
Conference, Kochi, India, 25-27 October 2023
Stewart A. Eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in OA/TOF: what does the research show? TOFS
family conference, University College London Institute of Child Health, London,18 November 2023
25
