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Eating behaviour of children 1.5-3.5 years born preterm: parents' perceptions
N Cerro1, S Zeunert, K N Simmer
1Department of Public Health, Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
Insights
Many parents of preterm toddlers worry about eating habits, with a significant number concerned about food intake quality and using rewards. Targeted support is crucial for children with disabilities or those who received home gavage feeding.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Preterm birth can impact infant development, including feeding behaviors.
- Understanding parental perceptions is key to supporting healthy eating habits in toddlers born preterm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parental perceptions of eating behaviors in toddlers born preterm.
- To identify parental concerns and feeding practices related to preterm toddlers.
Main Methods:
- A mailed, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to parents of infants born before 32 weeks gestational age.
- Data collected from 95 parents of preterm toddlers regarding their child's eating behavior and their concerns.
Main Results:
- 78% of parents expressed concern about their toddler's food intake quality.
- 58% reported food refusal, and many used food rewards (51%) or coaxing (69%).
- Poorer feeding indicators were noted in toddlers with disabilities or those who received home gavage feeding.
Conclusions:
- Parental education on normal toddler eating and positive feeding strategies can alleviate concerns.
- Interventions should prioritize support for preterm toddlers with disabilities or a history of home gavage feeding.
- Promoting positive feeding practices supports long-term healthy eating habits.
Objective:
To investigate parents' perceptions of the eating behaviour of toddlers born preterm.
Methods:
A mailed, self-administered questionnaire was sent to parents of infants born between July 1994 and July 1996 with gestational ages less than 32 weeks who had been admitted to the Neonatal Unit at Flinders Medical Centre.
Results:
Responses were received for 95 subjects (response rate 70%) with a mean +/- SD gestational age of 29.2 +/- 2.1 weeks, birthweight of 1243 +/- 296 g and median corrected age of 134 weeks (range 84-185 weeks) at the time of study. Seventy-eight per cent of parents were concerned about the quality of food intake and 45% wished to change their child's eating behaviour. Although only 20% of parents identified their toddlers as being fussy eaters, food refusal was reported by 58% of respondents, and 51% and 69% used food rewards or coaxing, respectively, to encourage intake. Parents of toddlers who had received home gavage feeding (n = 5) or had a respiratory or neurological disability (n = 16), reported poorer feeding indicators.
Conclusions:
Programmes providing information on normal toddler eating behaviour and strategies to promote positive feeding practices may reassure parents and promote development of food preferences and eating behaviours consistent with long-term healthy eating habits. Special emphasis should be placed on children with a disability or children who have received home gavage feeding.