What are Feeding Developmental Delays?

[two_third]Feeding developmental delays refer to conditions that affect a child’s ability to eat or drink in an age-appropriate and safe way. These delays include avoidant food intake disorders, restrictive food intake disorders, and chewing or swallowing disorders. Feeding disorders can be quite serious because they can lead to weight loss, nutrient deficiency, mandatory supplements, medical intervention (such as a gastric feeding tube), or problems with energy and daily functioning. Untreated swallowing disorders can inhibit a child’s ability to consume food or drink safely and put the child at risk for choking.[/two_third]
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How Common are Feeding Developmental Delays?

Feeding disorders are among the most common childhood developmental delays. Research has shown that up to 25-percent of children may demonstrate signs of a feeding disorder. In addition, as many as eight out of 10 children with a disability can have an accompanying feeding disorder.

What are the Signs of a Feeding Developmental Delay?

The signs and symptoms of a feeding developmental delay can vary widely. These signs range from mild (e.g. what many adults perceive to be “picky eating” or normal toddler behavior) to severe and alarming (such as gagging or vomiting when eating). In general, symptoms to watch include the following:

What Causes Feeding Developmental Delays?

For most children, there is no one cause of a feeding developmental delay. Often, feeding disorders are the result of a combination of factors. Children with existing developmental or medical issues have the highest risk for developing a feeding problem. These children include infants or toddlers born prematurely, children with neurological diseases, or children with co-existing developmental delays.

Other common causes include the following:

How are Feeding Developmental Delays Diagnosed and Treated?

One of the first steps to treating a feeding developmental delay is parental involvement. The parent or caregiver should report any signs of a feeding disorder to a pediatrician. Evaluation of a potential disorder will include a review of medical history, growth patterns, developmental history or disorders, and current eating habits.

The ongoing process may involve multiple steps, including dietary intake assessment from a registered dietician (RD), observation from a physician or nurse practitioner who specializing in feeding disorders, assessment from a clinical or child behavior psychologist, and evaluation of oral motor skills from a speech-language pathologist (SLP).

Special tests and evaluations may include a barium or endoscopic test to assess swallowing ability, gastrointestinal tests to rule out problems in the GI tract, and posture tests through a pediatric physical therapist (PT) or occupational therapist (OT). A doctor may need to conduct blood tests to determine nutrition status (such as vitamin levels and nourishment) or to screen for underlying medical problems that can contribute to feeding delays.

Treatment for feeding developmental delays includes feeding therapy, special skills training (SST), and occupational therapy. These treatments allow children to develop feeding skills through clinic activities, individual intensive feeding and swallowing therapy, and group feeding practice. Contact The Warren Center for more information on help with feeding delays.

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