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["Bottle feeding dependency" in children with developmental retardation]
Yasuko Kobayashi1, Soichiro Tanaka, Akira Onuma
1Division of Pediatric Neurology, Takutoh Rehabilitation Center for Children, Sendai, Miyagi. yaskoba@palette.plala.or.jp
No to Hattatsu = Brain and Development
|March 29, 2003
Summary
For children with developmental delays and bottle feeding dependency, forced feeding can overcome food rejection. Terminating bottle-feeding also aids the transition to purees and solids.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- "Bottle feeding dependency" is characterized by refusal of purees or solid foods in developmentally delayed children.
- Five cases with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (DQ 17-37) exhibited this dependency, with no oral dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of forced feeding in overcoming "bottle feeding dependency" in developmentally retarded children.
- To explore the role of bottle-feeding cessation in facilitating the transition to solid food intake.
Main Methods:
- Five children with developmental retardation and "bottle feeding dependency" were included.
- A forced feeding approach was implemented, introducing small amounts of pureed food orally.
- Bottle-feeding was terminated to encourage acceptance of solid foods.
Main Results:
- Food rejection behavior was overcome within 2-3 days of forced feeding.
- Oral food intake significantly improved within one week.
- Cessation of bottle-feeding facilitated the transition to eating solid foods.
Conclusions:
- Forced feeding can be an effective intervention to overcome food rejection and "bottle feeding dependency" in children with developmental retardation.
- The observed rejection behavior may not always indicate food aversion.
- Interventions should consider terminating bottle-feeding to promote the acceptance of varied food textures.