…and for having the impressive talent to translate my accent! Small world finding connections between feeding, linguistics, communication, and dentistry!
https://www.abasapporo.net/
Prolonged tube feeding has a multitude of negative outcomes. The transition to oral feeding is essential for child and family quality of life. Behaviour-analytic interventions are effective for paediatric feeding disorders, but information is lacking regarding the treatment process and outcomes. This study evaluated a home-based behavioural intervention for a 19-month-old child dependent on tube feeding. An intensive period was followed by caregiver support to advance feeding skills. We applied differential reinforcement and volume fading within a multiple probe design. Results showed clinically significant behavioural and nutritional outcomes, the cessation of tube feeding, and a process valued by the family.
Surprisingly, despite its importance and attention given in discussion currently in our field, supporting data and research are very much lacking. Data are needed in paediatric feeding to help accurately disseminate this highly important, effective, acceptable, and valued treatment, increasing access to treatment for families in need to improve their quality of life, and increasing opportunities for training/education for professionals. This is the first report to our knowledge to analyse social validity data comprehensively across variables such as participant characteristics, goals, treatment processes, treatment components, and outcomes. Ratings were high across the board (4.8 & 4.9 out of 5). Check out the results/graphs/tables! Future research could get caregiver input to design assessments, and use methods to analyse open-ended data (as in Anderson et al., 2021), in addition to the extensions to this work in Taylor & Taylor 2022b.
Free editable surveys to use! Check out the supplementary docs for this article (scroll to the bottom at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bin.1879). These could be used by both practitioners and researchers, and adapted for any area of ABA, not just feeding. Lots of clinical utility and future directions for further research.