My child often coughs or chokes during meals. Is it safe to wait and see?

An occasional cough can help protect the airway, but repeated coughing or choking during meals deserves attention. Aspiration can sometimes occur without an obvious cough. Contact your child's doctor or a pediatric feeding and swallowing specialist if you notice a wet or gurgly voice after eating, recurrent chest infections, color or breathing changes, very long meals, poor weight gain, or increasing fatigue. Do not make long-term changes such as thickening liquids without an individualized assessment.