The issue of aspiration and breastfeeding is interesting and I wonder how is it assessed elsewhere? How do you
establish aspiration as well as it's impact in a breastfed baby. The videofluoroscopy is the gold standard for artificial 
feeding methods not for breastfeeding. If the baby takes bottles of breastmilk of course it can be established 
that he is aspirating, but if he is breastfeeding no inferences can be concluded by giving him fluids by
alternative methods and does aspirating breastmilk have the same effect as aspirating ABM?. 
 
We use a guar gum thickener for thickening fluids to any desired thickness. I think I once used it successfully
with breastmilk. Guarcol is a brand name here in New Zealand, but consists of ........guar gum, so you can try
to source guar gum. Very little is used, and I am usually reluctant to give it to very young babies, but 
have done so in the past working closely with the paediatrician and dietitian. Guar gum is in just about everything,
I will not be surprised if it is in ABM.
 
If a child needs thickening everything needs to be thickened, so we even thicken water. For adults thickened
water of course sounds awful, but I can assure you that for a child who is unable to drink thin liquids thickened
water is as refreshing and thirst quenching as water is for us and if the option is to aspirate and get pneumonia 
then there is really no option. 

Loraine Hamm
Speech Language Therapist/IBCLC
New Zealand     

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome