What can cause fluids to go in lungs instead of esophugas?

aspiration: Some people have trouble swallowing, usually related in children to structural abnorm., neuromuscular insufficiency, developmental delay, gastroesophageal reflux, hypotonia, etc. These children usually aspirate liquids and many times have to have feedings thickened to be safe.If nothing works, gastrostomy(stomach feedings).In adults, strokes, alcoholism, loss consciousness, gen anesth. Drowning.

It takes a lot: To keep food or water from going into the lungs, it takes a lot of coordination between several muscles working in sequence. That's because the food crosses over the windpipe to get to the food pipe. Anything that interferes with that will cause a mishap. Normally we see that after a stroke. In your age group it most likely happens due to distraction.