Laryngeal clefts in Prader-Willi syndrome: Feeding difficulties and aspiration not always caused by hypotonia
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing
Published on: December 1, 2023
Minna L Rodrigo1, Christine Heubi2,3, Eric Chiou4
1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Insights
Feeding difficulties in Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) may be linked to laryngeal clefts, not just hypotonia. Early identification of airway anomalies is crucial for infants with PWS experiencing swallowing issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Genetics
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Infants with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) frequently exhibit feeding difficulties, aspiration, and failure to thrive, often attributed to hypotonia.
- The role of other potential contributing factors, such as airway anomalies, in PWS-related feeding issues requires further investigation.
Abstract:
Feeding difficulties, aspiration, and failure to thrive in infancy are commonly seen in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and attributed to hypotonia. Patients with PWS and laryngeal clefts were identified by review of medical records at three tertiary care children's hospitals between 2017 and 2022. We present three patients with PWS with feeding difficulties who were also found to have laryngeal clefts which likely contributed to their feeding difficulties. Additional factors such as airway anomalies should be considered in patients with PWS, especially when swallowing dysfunction, dysphagia, or abnormal swallow evaluations are present.
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