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Cough reflex vs gag reflex nerve8/19/2023 ![]() ![]() Just like any good system, we have back up already built in. The epiglottis, a tiny flap of cartilage, tilts down to cover the airway forming a tight seal with the joints that help move the vocal cords. The muscles of the throat pull the breathing tube slightly up and forward, tucking it safely out of the way of the food passing.ģ. When we swallow, our vocal cords, which are like sliding doors inside the breathing tube, come together, closing off the airway and preventing food from entering the lungs.Ģ. There are three important lines of defense that we have with every single swallow.ġ. These actions happen reflexively, meaning the brainstem tells our body to do them–they are involuntary. Swallowing is a complex reflex with multiple lines of defense built in to prevent choking. If your child is having a health emergency, please call 911 or your emergency medical resource provider immediately. The opinions, advice, suggestions and information presented in this article on gagging are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional advice from or consultation with your pediatric medical or health professional. This page has been created with typically developing infants and children in mind. The information here is generalized for a broad audience and is for informational purposes only. If your child has underlying medical or developmental differences, including but not limited to prematurity, developmental delay, hypotonia, airway differences, chromosomal abnormalities, craniofacial anomalies, gastrointestinal differences, cardiopulmonary disease, or neurological differences, we strongly recommend you discuss your child's feeding plan with the child's doctor, health care provider or therapy team. And if you are struggling with the transition from spoon feeding / purees to self-feeding with table food, watch our Spoons to Fingers video. ![]() > Just starting solids? Check out our virtual course (includes videos on infant rescue and toddler rescue) as well as our guides and recipes on for the best first foods for baby. Just like the reflexive kick that occurs when the doctor taps your knee in just the right spot, the gag happens automatically, initiating a rhythmic bottom-up contraction of your pharynx (the tube that leads to your stomach) to assist in bringing food up and to stop the swallowing reflex from making our bodies try to swallow. Gagging is a natural protective reflex that results in the contraction of the back of the throat to protect us from choking. ![]()
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