Detecting Feeding Problems in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
M W G van Dijk, M E Buruma, E M A Blijd-Hoogewys
PMID 33452969WHAT IT FOUND
The Dutch Montreal Children’s Hospital Feeding Scale reliably detects feeding problems in children with autism, who score higher than typical peers on almost all items.
The exception is mealtime duration, where children with autism often eat faster, so this item should be excluded from the total score.
Key findings
01Caregivers of children with ASD reported significantly more feeding problems on the MCH-FS than caregivers of children in the general population.
02The scale has good internal consistency for both children with ASD and the general population, supporting its use as a screening tool for this group.
03Unlike the general population, where feeding problems peak around age 4, children with ASD showed no age-related differences in feeding problem scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relied entirely on caregiver reports, which can be prone to bias. The ASD sample was much smaller (80) than the general population sample (1389), which might affect the detection of subtle age-related trends. The scale measures general feeding problems rather than focusing specifically on food selectivity, which is a key symptom in autism. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot track how feeding problems change in the same child over time.
Declared interests
The text does not report any conflicts of interest or funding sources.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lower scores on the 'long mealtimes' item as evidence that children with autism have fewer feeding problems. This item reflects rapid eating, which is common in this population, and including it in the total score can underestimate the severity of their feeding difficulties.