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Have you encountered a family who is struggling to feed their child? Perhaps the child only eats a few select foods or is unable to sit at the table peacefully. These challenges are global and unfortunately threaten, not only the child’s nutritional well–being, but the relationship between caregiver and child. According to a recent publication in Pediatrics, Feb 2015, “Parents of young children worldwide are concerned about feeding difficulties”. Feeding disorders are recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Addition (DSM-V) and it is concluded that eating a restricted number of foods or displaying a fear of eating is disordered and may have long standing health implications for those who suffer from such challenges. Seiverling et al. estimated up to eighty-nine percent of children with Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit problematic feeding and eating habits, including food hyper selectivity, food refusal and disruptive mealtime behaviors (2011).
In this intermediate course, we will examine prevalent diagnosis associated with such feeding disturbances (ASD, neophobia, ARFID) and explore the underlying causes of selective eating in order to develop clinical treatment pathways. Areas of impact will be examined, and treatment solutions will be derived as we work as a team to assist our children and families navigate extreme food hyper-selectivity. Strategies to create peaceful mealtime experiences while increasing the child’s comfort level with food will be discussed. Case studies and learning activities will be used to facilitate problem solving and global application of evidence-based intervention. Practitioners who serve children and families impacted by feeding challenges are encouraged to attend.
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