Co-occurring behavioral difficulties in children with severe feeding problems: A descriptive study
Abstract
Background Recent literature highlights the association between behavioral difficulties and the presence of feeding problems in children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) relative to children with ASD without feeding problems. However, it is not clear to what extent behavior problems (outside of the meal setting) occur in children with feeding problems without comorbid ASD.Aims The purpose is to describe co-occurring behavioral difficulties of a sample of children with severe food refusal/selectivity and examine potential predictors of behavioral difficulties outside of the meal context.Method and procedures The medical charts of fifty-four patients were reviewed and data were collected on the frequency of caregiver coaching and/or behavioral intervention outside of the meal context. Age, presence of developmental delay/autism, and type of feeding problem were examined as potential predictors of behavioral support.Outcome and results Approximately half of the sample received coaching or individualized intervention. The percentage of caregivers who received individualize coaching were similar across groups. Younger age at admission was a predictor of individual caregiver coaching. Presence of delay/ASD, age, and type of feeding problems were not significant predictors for individualized treatment programing.Conclusion and implications These data provide evidence of difficult caregiver-child interactions that occurs outside of the meal context for some children with severe feeding difficulties and suggest that this association may not be exclusive to children with ASD.
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Extreme cases may require enteral feeding via the alimentary canal or parenteral feeding to deliver nutritional support.
“Extreme cases may require enteral feeding via the alimentary canal (e.g.nasogastric, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) or, occasionally, parenteral feeding, which is typically intravenous, may be required to deliver nutritional support.37,62,75,76”
From Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Severe Food Selectivity in Children and Young People with Autism: A Scoping Review (2022) · cites this paper as [37]
Sensitivity to taste, temperature, type, colour, and appearance have also been described in children and young people with autism with food restriction.
“although sensitivity to taste, temperature, type, colour, and appearance have also been described.36,37,[39][40][41]44,[46][47][48]”
From Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Severe Food Selectivity in Children and Young People with Autism: A Scoping Review (2022) · cites this paper as [37]
Aversion to texture is the most commonly reported sensory concern in children and young people with autism with food restriction.
“Aversion to texture is the most commonly reported concern, [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]”
From Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Severe Food Selectivity in Children and Young People with Autism: A Scoping Review (2022) · cites this paper as [37]
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- Authors
- González, M. L., & Stern, K.
- Affiliations
- Kennedy Krieger Institute (US)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (US)
- Corresponding author
- González, Melissa L.
- ORCID
- González, Melissa L.
- Venue
- Research in Developmental Disabilities
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-11
- Volume
- 58
- Pages
- 45-54
- ISSN
- 0891-4222 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2509827025
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Research in Developmental Disabilities (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Keywords
- feeding difficulties, food refusal, picky eating, behavioral problems, children, autism spectrum disorder, caregiver coaching, behavioral interventions, developmental delay, caregiver-child interaction
- MeSH terms
- Problem Behavior, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Age Factors, Aggression, Behavior Therapy, Child, Developmental Disabilities, Child, Preschool, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Parent-Child Relations, Parents, Patient Compliance, Treatment Refusal, Self-Injurious Behavior, Feeding and Eating Disorders of Childhood
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