25% off all treated patients have silent aspiration issues. Some have chronic infections and even pneumonia as a result. Too much laying down aggravates this situation as the lungs do not get a chance to clear the liquids. I have had to be put on antibiotics 2 times for aspiration pneumonia. I eat normally when it comes to soft foods, but when I drink liquids, some of it ends up in my lungs. You cannot stop this, but it is hard to believe that he has enough saliva to cause serious problems if he is upright most of the time and getting the bulk of is liquids via a PEG tube. MDACC has a specialist in swallowing issues that may be of some help, as do most CCC's. In most people that have this problem they do not even realize that it is an issue till the first infection sets in or a PET scan reveals hot lymph nodes from the infection near the lung that is being affected. A swallow study done with a fluroscope and a radioactive drink will identify the extent of the problem.