Feeding is one of the most important interactions between caregivers and children in the first few years of life. It can be extremely challenging for those experiencing problems. After identifying the difficulty and its causes, programmers and health workers need to provide appropriate support services to help children and their caregivers manage it.
Mealtimes provide an important opportunity for family members to eat together, but can be particularly challenging for caregivers of children with feeding difficulties, especially when those children have a disability that requires additional support to safely eat and drink. Caregivers rarely receive the resources and training they need to understand the complexities of nutrition and apply optimal feeding methods. To ensure proper feeding and nutrition, caregivers often have to establish routines and pay close attention to the quantity, quality, texture, and temperature of food. With adequate support, caregivers can integrate these techniques into the family’s mealtime, rather than approaching feeding as a one-on-one task completed in isolation with the child with a feeding difficulty.
This section includes resources such as guidance documents, journal articles, training and informational material to prepare service providers and families with knowledge and skills on safe and effective feeding.
We found 37 resource(s)
Revised 2020 Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Guideline/Guidance published by Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) can use these standards for self-evaluation to assure competent practice and to determine education and training needs for advancement to a higher practice level.
How NOT to Say "Eat another Bite!"
Information, Education and Communication Materials published by Feeding Matters in
This resource provides caregivers with alternative ways to ask children to "eat another bite."
Count Me In: Count Me In is SPOON's mHealth App to Promote Nutrition and Safe Feeding for Vulnerable Children
Brief published by SPOON in
This brief provides an overview of SPOON's Count Me In application, which enables caregivers to screen for and treat nutrition and feeding problems.
Juntos
Training Material published by Ubuntu in
Juntos is a program to help caregivers of children with congenital Zika syndrome understand their child and to build support networks that will improve their care in the community.
Holt International's Feeding and Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working with Babies and Children
Training Material published by Holt International in
This manual is intended to support the caregivers of infants and children with information on safe feeding practices.
The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) Framework
Framework published by IDDSI in
This framework provides a common terminology to describe food textures and drink thickness to improve the safety of individuals with dysphagia.
Cleft Nutrition Program
Training Material published by Smile Train in
The goal of this course is to empower local professionals to be able to train mothers and caregivers on effective feeding for a child with cleft lip and/or palate.
Disability Resources
Resource Library published by Stichting Niketan in
This resource library compiles videos and booklets on the proper feeding of children with cerebral palsy.
