Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Adaptive Feeding Techniques and Positioning: An Occupational Therapist’s Perspective

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Pediatric Dysphagia

Abstract

Feeding is a highly complex and multifaceted activity with which many infants and children struggle [1, 2]. Oral-motor development can be affected by multiple factors including medical diagnoses, environment, developmental delay, food sensitivities, and negative oral experiences, to name a few. Infants and children who present with feeding difficulties can be referred to an occupational therapist (OT) or speech-language pathologist (SLP) who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. Therapists will gather information using patient/family report and chart reviews to obtain pertinent information in the areas of medical, developmental, and feeding history. Along with clinical observation of feeding and developmental skills, these areas can give insight into the underlying medical, motor, sensory, and/or social causes for feeding difficulties [3]. Based on these findings, a treatment plan will be developed to address specific feeding skills. There are a variety of adaptive feeding techniques and positioning options that will be utilized during treatment sessions to address deficits and improve feeding success.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Udall JN. Infant feeding: initiation, problems, approaches. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2007;37(10):374–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Sullivan PB, Lambert B, Rose M, Ford-Adams M, Johnson A, Griffiths P. Prevalence and severity of feeding and nutritional problems in children with neurological impairment: Oxford Feeding Study. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2000;42(10):674–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Arvedson JC. Assessment of pediatric dysphagia and feeding disorders: clinical and instrumental approaches. Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2008;14:118–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Kish MZ. Oral feeding readiness in preterm infants: a concept analysis. Adv Neonatal Care [Internet]. 2013;13(4):230–7. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23912014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Asadollahpour F, Yadegari F, Soleimani F, Khalesi N. The effects of non-nutritive sucking and pre-feeding oral stimulation on time to achieve independent oral feeding for preterm infants. Iran J Pediatr. 2015;25(3):e809.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Rocha AD, Moreira MEL, Pimenta HP, Ramos JRM, Lucena SL. A randomized study of the efficacy of sensory-motor-oral stimulation and non-nutritive sucking in very low birthweight infant. Early Hum Dev. 2007;83(6):385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Bridwell M, Grimshaw J. The effects of a slow and controlled feeding protocol for the introduction of oral feeding for infants. Am J Occup Ther [Internet]. 2015 Jul 1 [cited 2017 Jul 31];69(Suppl. 1):6911515162p1. Available from: http://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?doi=10.5014/ajot.2015.69S1-PO4094

  8. Ross E, Fuhrman L. Supporting oral feeding skills through bottle selection. Perspect Swallowing Swallowing Disord. 2015;24(April):50–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Office of the Commissioner. Consumer updates – FDA expands caution about SimplyThick. [cited 2017 Aug 1]. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm256250.htm

  10. Pados BF, Park J, Thoyre SM, Estrem H, Nix WB. Milk flow rates from bottle nipples used for feeding infants who are hospitalized. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2015;24(4):671–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Jackman KT. Go with the flow: choosing a feeding system for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit and beyond based on flow performance. Newborn Infant Nurs Rev. 2013;13(1):31–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Damian LA, Johnson K. Dr. Brown’s Medical » Nipple flow rates: what are they really and how does this affect our clinical practice? [Internet]. [cited 2017 Jul 30]. Available from: https://www.drbrownsbaby.com/medical/clinical-evidence/nipple-flow-rates-what-are-they-really-and-how-does-this-affect-our-clinical-practice/

  13. Scheel CE, Schanler RJ, Lau C. Does the choice of bottle nipple affect the oral feeding performance of very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants? Acta Paediatr [Internet]. 2005;94(9):1266–72. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16203676; http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=PMC2386985

  14. Shaker C. Problem-solving cardiac babies: slow flow vs standard nipple? – Shaker 4 Swallowing and Feeding [Internet]. [cited 2017 Jul 30]. Available from: https://shaker4swallowingandfeeding.com/2016/09/02/problem-solving-cardiac-babies-slow-flow-vs-standard-nipple/

  15. Chang Y-J, Lin C-P, Lin Y-J, Lin C-H. Effects of single-hole and cross-cut nipple units on feeding efficiency and physiological parameters in premature infants. J Nurs Res. 2007;15(3):215–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wolf LS, Glass RP. Feeding and swallowing disorders in infancy. San Antonio: Therapy Skill Builders; 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Morris SE, Klein MD. Pre-feeding skills. 2nd ed. Austin: pro-ed; 2000. 297 p

    Google Scholar 

  18. Larnert G, Ekberg O. Positioning improves the oral and pharyngeal swallowing function in children with cerebral palsy. Acta Paediatr. 1995;84(6):689–92.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Redstone F, West JF. The importance of postural control for feeding. Pediatr Nurs [Internet]. 2004;30(2):97–100. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15185730

    Google Scholar 

  20. Clark L, Kennedy G, Pring T. Improving bottle feeding in preterm infants: investigating the elevated side-lying position. Infant [Internet]. 2007;3(4):154–8. Available from: http://www.infantgrapevine.co.uk/pdf/inf_016_ife.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  21. McFarland DH, Lund JP, Gagner M. Effects of posture on the coordination of respiration and swallowing. J Neurophysiol. 1994;72(5):2431–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Mizuno K, Inoue M, Takeuchi T. The effects of body positioning on sucking behaviour in sick neonates. Eur J Pediatr [Internet]. 2000;159(11):827–31. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11079195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Park J, Thoyre S, Knafl GJ, Hodges EA, Nix WB. Efficacy of semielevated side-lying positioning during bottle-feeding of very preterm infants: a pilot study. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2014;28(1):69–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Hulme JB, Shaver J, Acher S, Mullette L, Eggert C. Effects of adaptive seating devices on the eating and drinking of children with multiple handicaps. Am J Occup Ther. 1987;41(2):81–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Rommel N, De Meyer A-M, Feenstra L, Veereman-Wauters G. The complexity of feeding problems in 700 infants and young children presenting to a tertiary care institution. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2003;37(1):75–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Hyman PE. Gastroesophageal reflux: one reason why baby won’t eat. J Pediatr. 1994;125(6 Part 2):S103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Field D, Garland M, Williams K. Correlates of specific childhood feeding problems. J Paediatr Child Health. 2003;39(4):299–304.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Manno C, Fox C, Eicher P, Kerwin M. Early oral-motor interventions for pediatric feeding problems: what, when and how. J Early Intensive Behav Interv [Internet]. 2005;2(3):45–159. Available from: http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/eib/2/3/145/

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Cheryl Mitchell & Stacey L. Paluszak

Authors
  1. Cheryl Mitchell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stacey L. Paluszak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cheryl Mitchell .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Julina Ongkasuwan

  2. Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Eric H. Chiou

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mitchell, C., Paluszak, S.L. (2018). Adaptive Feeding Techniques and Positioning: An Occupational Therapist’s Perspective. In: Ongkasuwan, J., Chiou, E. (eds) Pediatric Dysphagia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97025-7_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97025-7_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-97024-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-97025-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation