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Published on: August 21, 2015
Feeding disorders in children: taking an interdisciplinary approach
Keith-Thomas Ayoob1, Ida Barresi
1Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA. ktayoob@msm.com
Insights
Children with special healthcare needs often face feeding challenges. Early intervention with an interdisciplinary team and caregiver training is crucial for successful feeding outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Feeding Disorders
Background:
- Feeding problems are prevalent in children with special healthcare needs.
- Routine developmental assessments should include inquiries about feeding skills.
- Specific indicators like missed milestones or feeding tubes warrant a feeding evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and management of feeding disorders.
- To highlight the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach in addressing pediatric feeding issues.
- To underscore the critical role of caregivers in the intervention process.
Main Methods:
- An interdisciplinary team approach involving pediatricians, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and nutritionists.
- Collaboration between healthcare professionals and caregivers.
- Providing caregivers with training, realistic goals, and home practice instructions.
Main Results:
- Early and comprehensive intervention improves prognosis for children with feeding disorders.
- Caregiver involvement enhances the effectiveness of feeding interventions.
- Empowering caregivers with skills fosters a sense of competence and improves outcomes.
Conclusions:
- An interdisciplinary team is essential for diagnosing and managing pediatric feeding disorders.
- Caregiver partnership and training are vital components of successful feeding intervention.
- Proactive identification and intervention lead to better long-term feeding outcomes for children with special needs.
Abstract:
Feeding problems are common in children with special healthcare needs, and inquiring about feeding skills should be a routine part of the developmental assessment. Failure to meet normal feeding milestones, the presence of swallowing problems, and the presence or history of placement of a nasogastric or gastrostomy tube are all reasons to refer a child for a feeding evaluation. An interdisciplinary approach that includes the pediatrician along with a feeding team that includes a speech pathologist, occupational therapist, feeding-oriented nutritionist, and often others, should be taken to diagnose and manage feeding disorders in such children as early as possible for the best prognosis. However, caregivers also play a critical role in intervention, and effective management of feeding disorders should always be seen as a partnership between the caregiver and the interdisciplinary team. The additional benefit is the feeling of competence by the caregiver who is properly trained in the feeding of his/her special needs child. Providing caregivers with proper training as well as realistic goals, regular instruction for home practice, and the expectation for periodic setbacks, can help the child and the caregiver reap the most benefit from feeding intervention.
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