Feeding Difficulties in Children
Mealtimes can be challenging for some families. Feeding difficulties are complex conditions in which a child doesn't eat or drink enough or consume a wide enough variety of foods to support healthy growth and meet nutritional needs.
If your child is struggling with eating or drinking, our comprehensive pediatric gastroenterology team is here to help. We offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment to support your child's nutritional needs and your family's well-being.
What Are Feeding Difficulties?
Feeding difficulties occur when children struggle to eat or drink enough to maintain healthy growth and meet their nutritional needs. This goes beyond typical picky eating and can impact a child's development, social interactions and family dynamics. These difficulties may be due to problems with swallowing, where food gets stuck in the esophagus or causes choking.
It's important to note that these difficulties differ from eating disorders.
While both may involve limited food intake, children with feeding disorders aren't restricting their diet due to concerns about weight or appearance. Instead, they face genuine difficulties with eating or drinking that require specialized care.
Feeding Difficulty Causes
A variety of factors can cause feeding difficulties. Some common causes include:
- Developmental delays in oral skills
- Conditions affecting the esophagus lining, such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Rare nerve disorders affecting food movement, such as achalasia
- Narrowing of the esophagus due to injury or previous surgery
Feeding Difficulty Symptoms
The symptoms of feeding disorders in children can vary, but involve trouble eating, chewing, and swallowing. Common signs to look out for include:
- Choking, gagging or coughing while eating
- Holding food in cheek pockets or spitting it out
- Difficulty with certain food textures
- Taking a long time to eat or needing liquids to help swallow
- Struggling to gain weight
If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.
Feeding Difficulty Diagnosis
Our thorough approach starts with a comprehensive history and physical exam and includes:
- Evaluation of weight gain over time
- Modified barium swallow tests
- Endoscopy to assess the esophagus lining
- Functional luminal impedance probe (FLIP) to evaluate esophagus function
- Consultations with ENT, pulmonary, or feeding specialists
Children with suspected feeding disorders can be seen for an evaluation at:
- Pediatric Aerodigestive Center at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick
- Pediatric Aerodigestive Center at McMullen Children’s Medical Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston
- Pediatric Feeding Program at Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick and Somerset
Treatments for Feeding Difficulties
At RWJBarnabas Health, we understand that each child's feeding behavior is unique. Our expert team works closely with parents and caregivers to develop an individualized treatment plan tailored to a child's specific needs. We offer a range of treatment options to support patients and their families:
- Outpatient feeding treatment. Our specialized outpatient services provide ongoing support and therapy for children with feeding difficulties. This may include regular sessions with feeding therapists, nutritionist consultations, and follow-up appointments with specialists.
- Intensive feeding program. For children who need more concentrated support, our intensive feeding program offers structured, daily therapy sessions, close monitoring of progress, and a comprehensive team approach involving multiple specialists.
Our goal is to partner with you throughout your child's feeding journey, providing comprehensive care that addresses the physical aspects of feeding and the emotional and social impacts on your child and family. We are committed to helping your child experience healthier, happier mealtimes and supporting your family every step of the way.
Help for Pediatric Feeding Difficulties
Is your child struggling with eating or drinking? Our expert team at RWJBarnabas Health is here to help. Contact RWJBarnabas Health to schedule an appointment with our pediatric gastroenterology team today and take the first step towards happier, healthier mealtimes for your family.