Warning Signs Of Chiari Malformation

Difficulty Swallowing

Difficulty swallowing is most common in young children, toddlers, and infants affected by type I Chiari malformation and type II Chiari malformation. Infants and children may experience frequent choking when they are attempting to feed due to the abnormal compression of the nerves, muscles, and tissues at the base of their head and inside of their neck. It may be difficult for patients to keep their airway open at the right times. The nerves in the neck and throat may become confused and cause the epiglottis to malfunction. The epiglottis is a flap of tissue that is meant to stay closed when an individual is breathing, and open when they are consuming food or liquids. The muscles responsible for implementing the signals from the nerves can also be adversely affected by tissue compression. When the muscles do not contract at the proper time, the patient may intend to swallow food or liquid, but the mechanisms in their throat and neck take on the action of breathing instead. Any of these malfunctions due to tissue compression from Chiari malformation can cause problems with swallowing.

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