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.