Background: Texture-modified foods (TMF) is a common intervention for improving swallowing safety and efficiency for people with dysphagia. Non-standardized texture classification (NSTC) of foods is used worldwide. However, as this study documents, it can introduce a lack of clarity and confusion over definitions that can potentially harm…

The study was aimed to define swallowing related problems of toddlers with Down syndrome (DS) by comparing toddlers with typically developing children (TDC). A total of 127 children (96 DS, 31 TDC), and their mothers included in the study. The presence of chewing disorders, food selectivity, drooling, coughing during swallowing was scored as…

Introduction: Dysphagia affects up to 70% of care home residents, increasing morbidity and hospital admissions. Speech and language therapists make recommendations to support safe nutrition but have limited capacity to offer ongoing guidance. This study aimed to understand if recommendations made to support safe and effective care are implemented…

Past research suggests that children, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder, with general behavioral inflexibility to objects, persons, and environments may be at risk for feeding problems. However, questions remain about whether feeding problems are better predicted by behavioral inflexibility or sensory sensitivity, and whether…

Although differential reinforcement is procedurally simple, and a common component in intervention packages for feeding disorders, few published studies evaluated its effects in isolation. Even fewer studies have isolated the effects of differential reinforcement on feeding in free-operant arrangements. In the current clinical case study, we…

Background: A recent literature review identified that past research has described the impacts of dysphagia on quality of life; but there is limited research on these impacts from the perspective of people with dysphagia, their supporters and allied health professionals. Recent qualitative research has provided details about these perspectives,…

Background: Food-related advertisements have been identified as influential factors affecting Australian adolescents' food preferences and dietary habits. Objective: This study aimed to investigate adolescents' (athletes and non-athletes) views about healthy eating, the advertising of discretionary foods and beverages, and the effects of food…

Mealtime is an essential occupation that occurs daily in the school setting for all learners. This study explored how school occupational therapy practitioners address mealtime challenges using a one-group, convergent mixed methods design. Participants were school occupational therapy practitioners who service pre-K to 5th-grade students. Data…

Based on parent questionnaires, we demonstrate the presence of an eating pattern among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by both food selectivity and eating in the absence of hunger. Children with ASD were categorized as engaging in eating patterns of selective overeating, selective eating only, overeating only, or…

Objective: 'Drunkorexia' is characterized by compensating for alcohol-related calories using physical activity (PA). Drunkorexia is common on college campuses but little is known about the PA behaviors within the drunkorexia paradigm. Methods: First-year college students living on campus completed an online survey collecting drunkorexia, PA, and…

Feeding problems are common among autistic children and are linked to negative health consequences. Therefore, understanding feeding problems and factors that influence these behaviors is important for developing supports for children and families. While certain sensory processing patterns are commonly associated with feeding problems, less is…

Objective: This qualitative phenomenological study explored eating habits, behaviors, and motivations of Gen Z females (born 1996-2002). Participants: Ten participants met selection criteria: female aged 18-24 (thus, part of Gen Z), enrolled full-time at the University and able to share experiences. Maximum variation was sought for race/ethnicity,…

Children with autism spectrum disorders show higher food selectivity, which restricts consumption of some foods and may cause nutritional deficiencies. The aims of this meta-analysis are to determine the overall differences in nutritional intake and food consumption between children with autism spectrum disorder and control (typical development)…

Food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious issue in special needs schools, and special education teachers face various difficulties in their management of the problem. The aim of this study is to investigate the difficulties that special education teachers face in managing food selectivity in children with ASD.…

There are well-established empirically-supported treatments for paediatric feeding disorders (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder; ARFID); however, more research is needed on their sole use, outside of specialised multidisciplinary feeding hospitals, and with older ages. Additionally, there is little research on the use of an exit criterion…