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Trends in Inpatient Health Care Utilization for Children with Feeding Difficulties

Suzanna Hirsch1, Enju Liu2, Rachel Rosen1

  • 1Aerodigestive Center, Center for Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|May 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Hospitalizations for children with feeding difficulties increased significantly from 2009 to 2022. These children experienced longer hospital stays (length of stay) and higher charges compared to peers without feeding issues.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Healthcare Research
  • Health Services Research
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Feeding difficulties are a common reason for pediatric hospitalizations.
  • Understanding trends in pediatric hospitalizations for feeding difficulties is crucial for resource allocation and care management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze national trends in hospital admissions, length of stay (LOS), and associated charges for pediatric patients with feeding difficulties.
  • To compare outcomes for children with feeding difficulties versus those without.

Main Methods:

  • A serial, cross-sectional analysis of the Kids' Inpatient Database (2009-2022).
  • Feeding difficulties identified using diagnostic codes.
  • Multivariable logistic and linear regression models adjusted for patient and hospital factors to examine temporal trends and group effects.

Main Results:

  • Children with feeding difficulties represented 4.89% of all hospitalizations, increasing from 3.4% in 2009 to 6.1% in 2022 (P < 0.001).
  • Mean LOS increased from 10.49 to 14.52 days, and mean charges rose from $98,223 to $192,287.
  • LOS and charges were approximately threefold higher in children with feeding difficulties and increased significantly over time (P<0.001 for both).

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric hospitalizations for feeding difficulties show increasing trends in length of stay and charges over time.
  • Children with feeding difficulties incur substantially higher healthcare costs and resource utilization.
  • Further research is needed to develop strategies for reducing the inpatient healthcare burden in this vulnerable pediatric population.
Abstract

Keywords:
avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)pediatric feeding disorder (PFD)

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