[Creation of a tool to help assess eating disorders in young children]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric care
• Eating disorder treatment
• Therapeutic education

Background:

• Hospitalized children with eating disorders require specialized care.
• Existing therapeutic tools may not fully address the sensory and oral aspects of eating disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the Fleur des sens, a novel therapeutic education tool.
• To optimize the care and understanding of eating disorders in young hospitalized patients.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Fleur des sens tool by the Orality group.
• The tool involves a child coloring a flower with nine petals, each representing a difficult food.
• Utilized for educational diagnosis and formative evaluation.

Main Results:

• The Fleur des sens tool aids in identifying and addressing difficulties with specific foods.
• It facilitates a better understanding of the link between sensory experiences and food orality.
• The tool proves beneficial for both child assessment and parental education.

Conclusions:

• The Fleur des sens is an effective tool for managing eating disorders in hospitalized children.
• It enhances the therapeutic process by integrating sensory and oral components.
• Improved understanding and engagement for children and parents are key benefits.