A systematic review of clinical assessment tools that evaluate the feeding skills domain for paediatric feeding...

There is limited evidence regarding which clinical assessment tools are best utilised to assess feeding skills in Paediatric Feeding Disorder. This systematic review aimed to identify and assess the quality of clinical assessment tools designed to measure feeding skills.

A search was conducted (up to 31 July 2023). Assessment tools were included if they: (a) targeted the feeding skills domain for Paediatric Feeding Disorder; and (b) were appropriate for children >6 months-18 years. Psychometric properties for each tool were extracted and assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the Selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist.

In total, 12 clinical assessment tools were reviewed across 19 studies. These tools were found to be appropriate for a wide age range, of variable length, and mostly freely available. Variable methodological quality was observed, with most tools demonstrating adequate reliability but having limited information on validity. None of the reviewed tools used testing to demonstrate whether the tool could capture change over time.

There are limited clinical assessment tools available to measure paediatric feeding skills, and none of the reviewed tools demonstrated sensitivity to change in function over time. No tool was suitable for universal application in children with Paediatric Feeding Disorder.