PEDIATRIC FEEDING DISORDER
What Is Pediatric Feeding Disorder?
Impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate, and is associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skill, and/or psychosocial dysfunction.
— Goday et al., 2019
Red Flags That May Indicate Your Child Needs an Evaluation
Are you or your child experiencing any of the following?
- Feeling stress and worry about whether your child is eating appropriately or growing well
- Crying or fussing at mealtimes
- Frequently vomiting or spitting up
- Arching away from the bottle or breast
- Coughing, gagging, or increased congestion with eating or drinking
- Taking longer than 20-30 minutes to eat
- Difficulty breathing during eating
- Falling asleep during eating
- Frequently spitting out of food or liquid
- Pocketing food or overstuffing mouth with food
- Eating a limited diet
- Arguing with a partner or child about what your child eats
Should I Seek Help?
We believe that if a parent is concerned, that is enough of a reason to reach out for help.
Some next steps:
EVALUATE
The Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire from Feeding Matters can help you decide whether your child might need a professional evaluation.
Provided by feedingmatters.org
References
Black, M. M., & Aboud, F. E. (2011). Responsive feeding is embedded in a theoretical framework of responsive parenting. The Journal of Nutrition, 141(3), 490–494. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.110.129973
Cormack, J., Rowell, K., & Postăvaru, G. I. (2020). Self-Determination Theory as a Theoretical Framework for a Responsive Approach to Child Feeding. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 52(6), 646–651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2020.02.005
Daniels, L. A. (2019). Feeding Practices and Parenting: A Pathway to Child Health and Family Happiness. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 74(Suppl2), 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1159/000499145
Goday, P. S., Huh, S. Y., Silverman, A., Lukens, C. T., Dodrill, P., Cohen, S. S., … Phalen, J. A. (2019). Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Consensus Definition and Conceptual Framework. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 68(1), 124–129. https://doi.org/10.1097/MPG.0000000000002188
Henton, P. A. (2018). A Call to Reexamine Quality of Life Through Relationship-Based Feeding. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(3), 7203347010p1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.025650
Klein, M. D. (2019). Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes Practical and Compassionate Strategies for Mealtime Peace. Archway Publishing.
Morris, S.E. (2003). Becoming a Mealtime Partner. https://86cf41b8-ed83-466c-89ed-7bc32c65fcba.filesusr.com/ugd/57f349_de8e3ef850014e8bbacc2cd16032f308.pdf
Pediatrics, A. A. of. (n.d.). Is Your Baby Hungry or Full? Responsive Feeding Explained – HealthyChildren.org. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Is-Your-Baby-Hungry-or-Full-Responsive-Feeding-Explained.aspx
Satter, E. (1995). Feeding dynamics: Helping children to eat well. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 9(4), 178–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0891-5245(05)80033-1