Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale to predict oral motor skills in infants with neurodevelopmental disorders: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Aim To assess the predictive validity of the Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale (FEEDS) on long‐term eating developmental outcomes in infants with neurodevelopmental disorders. Method In total, 144 infants (69 females, 75 males) aged 0 to 12 months (mean [SD] 5.34mo [3.42]) with neurodevelopmental disorders and requiring enteral nutrition support, hospitalized between January 2004 and December 2017, were included. The FEEDS was administered at the onset of hospitalization. Follow‐up evaluations of feeding modalities occurred at discharge and at 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after discharge. FEEDS score was tested as a predictor of infants’ feeding modality (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, nasogastric tube, mixed, oral feeding) and time to autonomous oral feeding. Percentages of false‐positive and negative cases were checked. Results Lower FEEDS scores significantly predicted infants’ feeding modality (0.40≤R2≤0.61). A 1‐point increase in FEEDS score was associated with increased risk (6%–14%; p<0.05) of being non‐autonomous feeders at the different follow‐up points in infants who had a FEEDS score above the clinical cut‐off. Interpretation The FEEDS appears to be a clinically valid assessment to predict the presence of eating difficulties in infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities. What this paper adds Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale (FEEDS) significantly predicted eating difficulties in infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Lower FEEDS score is significantly associated with autonomous feeding at the 24‐month follow‐up. FEEDS cut‐off identified infants at low‐risk and high‐risk for eating disorder.