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Feeding disorders in ex-prematures: causes--response to therapy--long term outcome

Gereon Schädler1, Heinz Süss-Burghart, André Michael Toschke

  • 1Kinderzentrum Munich, Institute of Social Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Heiglhofstr. 63, 81377 Munich, Germany. Gereon.Schaedler@gmx.de

European Journal of Pediatrics
|November 23, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Severe feeding disorders are common in ex-premature infants and often linked to developmental issues. Behavioral therapy shows sustained success in managing these challenges for many children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

  • Feeding disorders present significant challenges for families of ex-premature infants.
  • These disorders can impact infant well-being and require specialized intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze co-morbidities, treatment response, and long-term outcomes in ex-premature infants with severe feeding disorders.
  • To identify risk factors and predictors of treatment success for feeding difficulties in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A case series analysis of 86 ex-premature infants (<37 weeks gestational age) admitted for severe feeding disorders (tube feeding or >30 min feeding times).
  • Behavioral therapy was the primary treatment modality.
  • Data collected on co-morbidities (cerebral palsy, mental retardation, interaction problems), treatment response at discharge, and long-term follow-up.

Main Results:

  • 61.6% of infants responded to treatment by discharge; tube feeding and swallowing difficulties predicted poor response.
  • Long-term follow-up (53 children) showed sustained success in 94.1%, but 25% with normal BMI at discharge later fell below the 3rd percentile.
  • Cerebral palsy (40.8%), mental retardation (51.1%), and interaction problems (87%) were common co-morbidities.

Conclusions:

  • Behavioral therapy is effective for severe feeding disorders in ex-premature infants, achieving sustained success in nearly two-thirds of cases.
  • Cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and interaction problems are significant risk factors.
  • Ongoing monitoring is crucial, as some infants may experience nutritional decline despite initial treatment success.

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