Exploring Parents' Experiences and Perceptions of Caring for Children With Feeding Difficulties and Developmental
Amanda Shee Hwee Yap1, Marion Margaret Aw2,3, Jing Shi Chua1
1Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Insights
Parents of children with developmental disabilities face feeding challenges, including navigating feeding preferences and accessing support. Enhanced resources and healthcare provider awareness are crucial for improving feeding practices and child outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Developmental Disabilities
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Feeding difficulties are common in children with developmental disabilities.
- Parental experiences in managing these challenges are complex and multifaceted.
- Understanding these experiences is vital for developing effective support systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experiences and perceptions of Singaporean parents managing feeding difficulties in children with developmental disabilities.
- To identify key themes and challenges faced by these parents.
- To inform the development of targeted interventions and support strategies.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive qualitative study design was employed.
- Twenty parents were recruited from a pediatric feeding clinic in Singapore.
- Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- Four major themes emerged: feeding as a 'guessing' game, the importance of mutual understanding, beliefs surrounding disabilities and feeding, and challenges in accessing adequate support.
- Nine subthemes elaborated on these core findings.
- Parents highlighted the value of instrumental support from family and domestic helpers, and emotional support from online peer groups.
Conclusions:
- Parents experience significant challenges in adapting to feeding preferences, managing differing caregiver views, and accessing appropriate support.
- There is a need for increased research and tailored interventions to assist parents.
- Policy changes and proactive healthcare provider engagement are recommended to improve feeding support and outcomes for children with developmental disabilities.
Aim:
To explore the experiences and perceptions of Singaporean parents in managing feeding difficulties among children with developmental disabilities.
Study Design:
A descriptive qualitative study design was used.
Methods:
Twenty parents were recruited via convenience sampling from a paediatric feeding clinic in a public hospital in Singapore between July and October 2024. One-to-one interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
Results:
Four themes were identified: (1) Feeding as a 'guessing' game; (2) mutual understanding within the family and community; (3) beliefs regarding developmental disabilities and feeding difficulties; and (4) challenges in accessing adequate support. There were a total of nine subthemes supporting these themes.
Conclusion:
This study revealed that parents of children with developmental disabilities faced challenges in adjusting to their child's feeding preferences, dealing with conflicting views on feeding practices among caregivers, and accessing adequate support. Parents also valued instrumental support from grandparents and domestic helpers, as well as emotional support from online peers. Additional research and targeted interventions are needed to better support parents of children with developmental disabilities in managing feeding difficulties.
Implications:
Policies should facilitate the provision of feeding-specific resources, treatment, and education for parents. Additionally, healthcare providers should proactively assess feeding-related concerns and address misconceptions to enhance parental awareness of feeding difficulties and how they can improve the feeding practices of their children with developmental disabilities. Future research should obtain a more in-depth understanding of how differing beliefs in feeding difficulties between parents can impact the child's developmental outcomes, as well as the support and resources that may address feeding needs in these children.
Reporting Method:
This study followed the reporting guidelines outlined by the Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative (COREQ) research checklist.
Public Contribution:
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
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