Breaking the Silence on Pediatric Feeding Disorders: Let’s Talk about It

5 min read • By: Gerber Medical Hub

Baby in a diaper laying on a scale

Quick summary

Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) is a medical condition that impairs a child's ability to eat and grow, leading to a range of feeding difficulties. May is recognized as PFD Awareness Month, with the aim of raising awareness and support for affected children and families. Healthcare professionals play a critical role in diagnosing and treating PFD, and commercial baby foods can be helpful in ensuring adequate nutrition for affected infants.

Test Your Knowledge

True or False: A child gaining weight normally may still need a feeding evaluation.

Reveal the correct answer

True. If parents report that they need to take unusual or extraordinary measures to have their child gain weight, a feeding evaluation may be warranted. Feeding disorders require comprehensive assessment and treatment of four closely related, complementary domains: medical, psychosocial, feeding skill-based systems, and associated nutritional complications (Estrem, 2018). open_in_new

What is Pediatric Feeding Disorder?

Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) is “impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate, and is associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skill, and/or psychosocial dysfunction” (Goday 2019) open_in_new. It is a medical condition that affects a child’s ability to eat and grow. It is a broad term used to describe a range of feeding difficulties in infants and children, which can lead to malnutrition, developmental delays, and impaired growth (Feeding Matters). open_in_new

PFD may arise from a variety of factors, including sensory, motor, medical, and environmental issues. Children with PFD may have difficulty with any or all of the following: sucking, chewing, swallowing, or managing food in their mouth. They may also experience food aversions, gagging, vomiting, or difficulty transitioning to different textures or types of food which are characteristics of PFD and beyond the common behavior of picky eating (Romeo 2023a). open_in_new

PFD can occur in children of any age, but it is more commonly seen in infants and young children. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial in treating PFD and preventing complications. Treatment may involve a team of healthcare professionals, including a pediatrician, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, registered dietitian, and sometimes a psychologist. The goal of treatment is to help the child develop healthy eating habits and achieve adequate growth and development.

Why is May recognized as PFD Awareness Month?

May is recognized as PFD Awareness Month to bring attention to the challenges faced by children with PFD and their families, as well as to promote awareness, understanding, and support for those affected by this condition.

The month of May was designated as PFD Awareness Month by Feeding Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the diagnosis and treatment of PFD. Feeding Matters works to raise awareness about PFD and to promote research and education to improve diagnosis and treatment for children with these disorders.

By designating May as PFD Awareness Month, Feeding Matters hopes to increase public awareness of this often-overlooked medical condition and encourage healthcare providers, policymakers, and the public to support efforts to improve the lives of children with PFD and their families. The goal is to provide better care and support for children with PFD, helping them to achieve better health outcomes and a better quality of life.

How can healthcare professionals help infants and caregivers regarding PFD?

PFD is a condition that can be very challenging for both parents and children (Romeo 2023b), open_in_new and it often requires the assistance of healthcare professionals. Here are some ways healthcare professionals can help regarding PFD:

The month of May was designated as PFD Awareness Month by Feeding Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the diagnosis and treatment of PFD. Feeding Matters works to raise awareness about PFD and to promote research and education to improve diagnosis and treatment for children with these disorders.

  1. Screening and Diagnosis: open_in_new Help to identify the signs and symptoms of PFD by performing screening and diagnostic assessments. These assessments can help determine the type and severity of the feeding disorder and guide the development of an appropriate treatment plan.
  2. Referral to Specialists: Refer patients to specialists such as pediatric gastroenterologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and registered dietitians who specialize in treating PFD.
  3. Education and Counseling: Provide education and counseling to parents and caregivers about PFD and its management. This includes information on feeding strategies, safe feeding practices, and how to manage mealtime behaviors.
  4. Treatment Planning: Work with families to develop individualized treatment plans that may include behavioral interventions, feeding therapy, or medication management.
  5. Collaboration: Collaborate with other healthcare providers to ensure that patients receive comprehensive care. This may involve coordinating care with a child’s primary care physician, specialists, therapists, and other healthcare providers.
  6. Connect families to the Feeding Matters Resources & Supportopen_in_new Parent Mentor Programopen_in_new and Family Support Fact Sheet.open_in_new

By providing comprehensive care and working collaboratively with families, healthcare professionals can help children with PFD to develop healthy eating behaviors and improve their overall health and well-being.

Tips from the Feeding Matters Family Guide open_in_new

  1. Pediatricians can ask families to keep a food journal of their child’s eating and mealtime behavior to share with you. It can help you direct them to the appropriate first referral.
  2. Registered Dietitians can determine if the child is eating the right quantity and quality of foods based upon their needs and conditions.
  3. Registered Dietitians can work with families to create a nutrition plan that will support both the family and child.
  4. Registered Dietitians can collaborate with the child’s medical team to decide the best diet for the child.
  5. Registered Dietitians can recommend that families slowly introduce new foods, offer new foods several times in a row, and give the child time to explore new foods at their own pace.
  6. Feeding specialists can help increase tolerance to sensory experiences, such as how different foods feel in the mouth, and help improve oral motor and swallowing skills.

Commercial baby foods are a helpful option for infants with PFD as they offer consistent texture, a gradual introduction of new textures, a variety of flavors, are easy to prepare and serve, and can help ensure that infants receive adequate nutrition. Commercial baby foods also support children at a variety of ages with PFD helping ensure the child, who may be struggling with the ability to eat, has adequate nutrient intake from a variety of foods.

Key Messages

  • Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) is a medical condition that affects a child’s ability to eat and grow. It is a broad term used to describe a range of feeding difficulties in infants and children, which can lead to malnutrition, developmental delays, and impaired growth.
  • The month of May was designated as PFD Awareness Month by Feeding Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the diagnosis and treatment of PFD.
  • By providing comprehensive care and working collaboratively with families, healthcare professionals can help children with PFD to develop healthy eating behaviors and improve their overall health and well-being.
  • Commercial baby foods can be a helpful option for infants with PFD as they offer a variety of textures and flavors, are easy to prepare and serve, and can help ensure that infants receive adequate nutrition.

Additional Resources

References

Picky Eating