The Importance of a Multifaceted Approach in the Assessment and Treatment of Childhood Feeding Disorders

Abstract

The objective of this article is to describe the use of a multifaceted approach in the assessment and treatment of a child with a severe feeding disorder in an inpatient setting. Family and ward-staff interviews, video observations, and behavioral measures were used in the assessment and treatment of a 2-year-old girl admitted to a pediatric ward with failure to thrive and was being tube fed. Causal and maintaining factors were identified and the subsequent intervention (the feeding program) combined a behavioral treatment (learning principles applied at mealtimes) and family-centered work (systematic parent training procedures). By the time of the psychological intervention, the majority of developmentally and age-appropriate feeding behavior appeared to be absent and the child only fed through a naso-gastric tube. The number and variety of feeding behaviors and the amount and variety of foods taken increased during treatment. These behaviors were maintained during the follow-up and generalized into the home environment. There was also an observed increase in the child's capacity for emotional expression. Successful outcomes can be achieved with complex feeding problems by using a multifaceted approach that places emphasis on effective transdisciplinary collaboration and the inclusion of the family in all stages of the process.