Feeding
According to current research, feeding disorders affect approximately 25-40% of children, from newborns to adolescents. As a result of the increased survival rate of premature and at-risk-infants using more aggressive methods to assist these infants, overall development of these children can be affect. For those children diagnosed with developmental disabilities, approximately 80% will have a feeding problem. Feeding and swallowing symptoms are often associated with complex medical diagnoses.
A feeding disorder can include problems such as reduced or limited oral intake, food refusal, food selectivity, inability to consume adequate calories, dysphagia, oral motor deficits, delayed feeding development, g-tube to oral transition, or an inability to consume an age appropriate diet.
The goal of feeding evaluations and/or therapy is to Facilitate increased food intake, while decreasing behaviors; Provide needed experience for children to learn to eat naturally in their normal environment on a consistent basis; Train caregivers to strengthen positive feeding behaviors and deal with problematic feeding.
