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The Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale: Study Protocol and Validation in Infants with

Anna Cavallini1, Livio Provenzi2, Daniela Sacchi1

  • 1Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|January 13, 2018
PubMed

Insights

This study introduces the Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale (FEEDS) for assessing oral-motor skills in at-risk newborns and infants. Preliminary validation demonstrates its reliability for early intervention in feeding disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Clinical Assessment Tools

Background:

  • Effective early intervention for swallowing and feeding disorders in newborns requires accurate oral-motor skill evaluation.
  • Limited evidence exists on the reliability and predictive validity of current assessment tools for at-risk infants.
  • The Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale (FEEDS) was developed to address this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a clinically grounded tool, the Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale (FEEDS).
  • To provide preliminary validation and assess the reliability of the FEEDS for at-risk newborns and infants.
  • To establish a reliable method for evaluating oral-motor skills in infants with feeding difficulties.

Main Methods:

  • The FEEDS was developed by a multidisciplinary team based on clinical expertise and evidence.
  • The tool was applied to 136 infants aged 0-12 months with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
  • Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and inter-rater reliability were assessed.

Main Results:

  • The study describes the development process, items, scoring, and clinical cutoff of the FEEDS.
  • Preliminary data on the reliability of the FEEDS are provided.
  • The FEEDS was applied to a sample of 136 infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Conclusions:

  • The FEEDS is a new, clinically grounded tool for assessing oral-motor skills in at-risk newborns and infants.
  • The study provides initial information on the reliability of the FEEDS.
  • Further validation studies are planned to assess psychometric characteristics and predictive validity.
Abstract

Keywords:
developmental disabilitiesfeeding disordersinfantsoral-motor skillsprotocolrehabilitation medicine

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