Paediatric Feeding Disorders: A Family Guide

ABSTRACT

Families of children with developmental disabilities are faced with many challenges in the course of their child’s learning and language development. Feeding difficulty is recognised as an additional challenge in children with developmental disabilities which further affects the child’s development and health. The severity can range from picky eating and food selectivity to total food refusal and dependence on special formulas or tube feedings which adds to the family’s financial burden and stress. Family members and caregivers struggle with managing the behavioural challenges implicated in feeding difficulties, accessing information, and implementing the recommended intervention by the behavioural analysts to maintain positive results. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide a basic description of the procedures implemented by a behavioural analyst during the assessment and intervention phase to further their understanding and assist them in implementing a treatment plan with high fidelity.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavioural interventions
• feeding
• reinforcement
• punishment

Acknowledgments

I thank Dr. Susan Copeland for her thorough and patient reviews

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).