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Examining Health Conditions, Impairments, and Quality of Life for Pediatric Feeding Disorders

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Abstract

By understanding health conditions, impairments, and impact on quality of life for pediatric feeding disorders, assessment and treatment approaches can target multiple levels of health-related domains that improve child health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to characterize medical diagnoses and feeding impairments for children with feeding disorders; examine child quality of life and caregiver impact; and compare quality of life differences between children with feeding disorders and children with other conditions. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Greater Boston Area, between October 2017 and June 2018. Fifty children with a feeding disorder diagnosis, ages 2–5 years, were enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from the electronic health record to characterize medical diagnoses and impairments. Parents completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Generic Core Scales 4.0 (PedsQL) and the Feeding/Swallowing Impact Survey (FS-IS) to understand child quality of life and caregiver impact. We calculated descriptive statistics across the medical diagnosis and impairment groups, and for the surveys. Children presented with heterogeneous medical diagnoses and feeding impairments. We found a mean (SD) total score of 72.82(19.21) on the PedsQL and 2.33(0.89) on the FS-IS demonstrating that children with feeding disorders presented with poor quality of life and their caregivers were negatively impacted by their feeding difficulties. By understanding medical diagnoses, impairments, and quality of life, assessment and treatment methods can be tailored to children’s specific needs, as well as address the overall wellbeing of children and their families.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the parent advisors for this study, Lindsey Baker and Laura Putnam, and all the parents who participated.

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Research Fund awarded to the first author. Dr. Fiechtner’s time was supported by grant number K23HD090222 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 860, Boston, MA, USA

    Meg Simione, Karen Kuhlthau & Lauren Fiechtner

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Meg Simione, Karen Kuhlthau & Lauren Fiechtner

  3. Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, USA

    Stephanie Harshman & Kelly Daigle

  4. Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, USA

    Stephanie Harshman

  5. Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, 175 Cambridge St, Boston, MA, USA

    Stephanie Harshman & Lauren Fiechtner

  6. Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Rue Verte 2, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland

    Christine E. Cooper-Vince

  7. Department of Speech, Language, and Swallowing Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, 275 Cambridge St, Boston, MA, USA

    Jessica Sorbo

  8. Greater Boston Food Bank, Boston, MA, USA

    Lauren Fiechtner

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  1. Meg Simione
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  3. Christine E. Cooper-Vince
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Correspondence to Meg Simione.

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Simione, M., Harshman, S., Cooper-Vince, C.E. et al. Examining Health Conditions, Impairments, and Quality of Life for Pediatric Feeding Disorders. Dysphagia 38, 220–226 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-022-10455-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-022-10455-z

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