Developmental Feeding Stages and Their Impact on Child Feeding Behavior.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Biology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Critical periods for feeding skills development are established, with delays in milestones potentially leading to feeding problems in children.
• Understanding the feeding development trajectory is crucial for identifying at-risk populations and preventing long-term feeding issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate the feeding development process in healthy children and those with gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs).
• To examine the correlation between achieving feeding milestones and the onset of later feeding difficulties.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional case-control study involving 711 healthy children and 119 children with GID, aged 2-7 years.
• Parental completion of the Greek version of the Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale and self-reported feeding history questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in feeding behaviors were observed between healthy children and those with GID regarding the introduction of pureed, lumpy, and table foods, as well as finger feeding and cup drinking.
• Children who were late in introducing complementary foods (>6 months), lumpy foods (>9 months), or finger feeding (>9 months) showed a higher likelihood of developing problematic feeding behaviors.
• Age-specific feeding milestones were not consistently met by children in either group, indicating a general trend of delayed acquisition.

Conclusions:

• The feeding development trajectory in both healthy children and those with GIDs reveals a tendency to delay the acquisition of feeding milestones.
• Discrepancies exist between current feeding practices and established infant feeding guidelines.
• These delays in achieving feeding milestones may contribute to the emergence of feeding problems later in childhood.