Single-case evaluation of oral feeding intervention and gastrostomy tube fading in adults with intellectual and multiple disabilities

ABSTRACT

Background

Some adults with intellectual disabilities do not acquire oral feeding skills and are dependent on gastrostomy tube supplementation.

Methods

Two adults with intellectual and multiple disabilities received intervention for oral consumption during daily meals (standardised food and liquid quantities, individualised procedural guidelines, and consumption-contingent consequences) while the frequency and amount of gastrostomy tube feedings were gradually decreased and eliminated.

Results

Compared to baseline (pre-intervention) conditions, the adults increased oral consumption of food and liquid during the intervention and gastrostomy tube supplementation was eliminated. These intervention results continued through multiyear follow-up, one participant lost considerable weight, the second participant maintained weight, and both participants had good health (no hospitalisations, illnesses, and missed medications) and benefited from eating daily meals among their peers.

Conclusions

Behaviourally-based intervention with interdisciplinary collaboration and appetite stimulation strategy can establish and improve oral feeding in adults with intellectual and multiple disabilities who were previously gastrostomy tube dependent.

KEYWORDS:

• Adults
• gastrostomy-tube
• intellectual disability
• multidisciplinary intervention
• oral feeding

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical approval

All procedures were approved by clinical and program review committees at the long-term care facility.

Additional information

Funding

There was no funding associated with this research.