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Behavioral assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders
R L Babbitt1, T A Hoch, D A Coe
1Department of Behavioral Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
Insights
Behavior analysis and multidisciplinary approaches effectively treat severe pediatric feeding disorders in children. This integrated strategy, combining behavioral procedures with medical and therapeutic interventions, leads to successful outcomes in a few months.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Pediatric Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Pediatric feeding disorders affect up to 25% of children, often necessitating intensive interventions.
- Behavior Analysis has a decade of research supporting its role in understanding and treating these disorders.
- Integrating behavioral science with medical, nutritional, and therapy approaches is crucial for comprehensive care.
Observation:
- A multidisciplinary inpatient unit systematically applies evidence-based behavioral procedures.
- Key aspects include behavioral assessment, modifying feeding behaviors, skill acquisition, and parent training.
- Direct observation and systematic data collection inform treatment adjustments.
Findings:
- Medically complex and severe pediatric feeding disorders can be successfully treated.
- A multidisciplinary approach incorporating behavioral procedures significantly shortens treatment duration.
- Case studies and program evaluations demonstrate positive treatment outcomes.
Implications:
- This integrated model offers a viable and effective treatment pathway for severe pediatric feeding disorders.
- Behavioral interventions, when combined with other therapies, can lead to rapid and sustained improvements.
- Parent training is a vital component for successful long-term management and transfer of treatment gains.
Abstract:
Pediatric feeding disorders are estimated to occur in as many as one in every four infants and children, and when serious can require numerous, costly and sustained interventions. For over a decade research has cumulated evidence on the contributions of Behavior Analysis in understanding and remediating some types of pediatric feeding disorders. The systematic use of this body of evidence in conjunction with other approaches (medical, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and so forth) is being carried out on an inpatient treatment unit at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Key aspects are described here, including direct observation behavior assessment, approaches for increasing and decreasing feeding behavior, skill acquisition, transfer of treatment gains, and parent training. The results based on case studies and overall program evaluation indicate that medically complicated, severe feeding disorders can be treated successfully in a few months with a multidisciplinary approach which incorporates behavioral procedures.