[P1-7] Rehabilitation team approach for seven infants with severe food refusal
[Introduction] We treated infants with severe food refusal using a team approach, including physical, occupational, and speech therapists; clinical psychologists, orthoptists; nursery teachers; medical social caseworkers; nurses; and doctors. We report seven infants with severe food refusal admitted from April 2015 to May 2016.
[Methodology] All infants (1- to 3-year-olds) had psychomotor retardation, autism spectrum disorder, and severe food refusal without dysphagia. There are two infants presented with no primary diseases, three born with extremely low birth weight, and two with a congenital anomaly (congenital blindness and 4p- syndrome). They either took no food or only one kind of food. Two infants with no primary diseases drank milk only when fed by parents. Paste of their favorite food flavor was given to all infants via a staff’s finger in a room with their favorite music and toys, praising them a lot when they swallowed the food. They also underwent psychomotor training. After repeatedly undergoing this treatment, they were able to eat little food, show interest in it, and progress in their psychomotor development.
[Conclusion] Enjoyable situations and praising infants frequently when they swallow food are very important for food refusal, as well as supporting and daily advising mothers how to deal with their children because food refusal causes them considerable stress. As infants change their eating habits and their psychomotor development, mothers are relieved, show positive attitudes toward food refusal again. Thus, it would be interesting to examine more cases in the future.
[Methodology] All infants (1- to 3-year-olds) had psychomotor retardation, autism spectrum disorder, and severe food refusal without dysphagia. There are two infants presented with no primary diseases, three born with extremely low birth weight, and two with a congenital anomaly (congenital blindness and 4p- syndrome). They either took no food or only one kind of food. Two infants with no primary diseases drank milk only when fed by parents. Paste of their favorite food flavor was given to all infants via a staff’s finger in a room with their favorite music and toys, praising them a lot when they swallowed the food. They also underwent psychomotor training. After repeatedly undergoing this treatment, they were able to eat little food, show interest in it, and progress in their psychomotor development.
[Conclusion] Enjoyable situations and praising infants frequently when they swallow food are very important for food refusal, as well as supporting and daily advising mothers how to deal with their children because food refusal causes them considerable stress. As infants change their eating habits and their psychomotor development, mothers are relieved, show positive attitudes toward food refusal again. Thus, it would be interesting to examine more cases in the future.