I thought I would write about 3 different but interesting cases of dysphagia with total food refusal. These children were all different ages but previously healthy children with no significant medical issues who began to refuse food to the point of total food refusal. They refused even their favorite foods, snacks foods, and candy. They each were referred for evaluation and were living on liquids Keep Reading >>
Using a Homemade Blenderized Tube Feeding Diet: Interview with Laura Schoenfeld, MPH, RD
1. Most therapists are familiar with the idea of using a blenderized tube feeding diet. Could you briefly describe what it means and talk about who you feel is a good candidate? Blenderized tube feedings are made of whole foods that have been pureed using a blender and delivered through a patient’s feeding tube. This feeding method has recently been gaining in popularity despite the Keep Reading >>
Aversive Feeding Behavior: Getting full mouth opening for the spoon and why it’s worth the trouble
Many children with feeding difficulty have aversive feeding behaviors or learned refusal patterns around the act of eating or feeding. I often tell my students that if a child doesn't want to eat, you can't make them. By the time children come to our feeding team, many caregivers have tried multiple ways to get there kids to eat. Usually they have tried force feeding and/or letting the child get Keep Reading >>
Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Infants and Toddlers: What the Pediatric Feeding Therapist Should Know by Claire Kane Miller Ph.D.
(reprinted from The Pediatric Feeding and Dysphagia Newsletter, July 07, vol 8, no. 1, pg 6-8. ) Esophagitis (inflammation and swelling of the esophagus) is known to occur as a manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Treatment of GERD is necessary to heal injury, reduce inflammation and swelling of the esophageal mucosa, and to help relieve associated pain and discomfort Keep Reading >>
Oral Dysphagia (oral motor delay): Making recommendations for appropriate diet textures for the child with feeding difficulty
I'll give you the answer first: a child's diet texture should be appropriate for their oral skill level. Sounds so obvious right? I've seen this scenario many times... a child is referred for a feeding evaluation because of poor eating (not eating enough), choking with meals, pocketing or expelling foods, or having prolonged meal time. Parents are at their wits end, they don't know Keep Reading >>
Updates!
Hello Everyone, I just wanted to share that I have updated the workshop page and the links page if you want to take a look. Please send me any links you like and I will continue to update the page.This page will be a work in progress! Please let me know what kinds of topics you would like to see on the blog. If I can't blog about it I will find an expert who can. If Keep Reading >>
Autism Speaks: Tool Kits for Feeding Behavior and Constipation
http://www.autismspeaks.org I wanted to highlight the Autism speaks website specifically the exploring feeding tool kit and the constipation tool kit. You can go to the site, register and download them for free. Research is indicating that children with autism have more constipation, reflux, and food Keep Reading >>
Hypersensitive Gag Reflex and Pediatric Feeding Delays By Donna Scarborough Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-S Miami University, Oxford, OH scarbod@muohio.edu
Introduction Historically, two clinical areas in speech pathology have tested the gag reflex response as part of a standard oral mechanism examination including: a) assessment of maximum velopharyngeal excursion (Mason & Simon, 1977; Pannbacker, 1985) b) bedside evaluations of swallowing (Daniels, McAdam & Brailey, 1997). However, due to the complexity of velar Keep Reading >>