Symptoms of Pediatric Feeding Disorders Among Individuals with 3q29 Deletion Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.
Addam J Wawrzonek, William Sharp, Teresa Lindsey Burrell and 4 others
PMID 34636361WHAT IT FOUND
Children with 3q29 deletion syndrome report far more feeding problems than typically developing peers.
Clinicians should screen for selective eating, refusal behaviors, and growth issues, as these symptoms persist across ages and are worse in those with global developmental delays.
Key findings
01Participants with 3q29 deletion syndrome reported significantly higher rates of feeding concerns on 10 of 11 questionnaire items compared to controls, including food refusal, selectivity, and malnutrition.
02Individuals with 3q29 deletion syndrome and comorbid global developmental delays had significantly more food refusal behaviors and were more likely to be highly selective eaters than those without delays.
03Feeding problems in 3q29 deletion syndrome are persistent across the lifespan, with some issues like selectivity and failure to thrive occurring at equal frequency regardless of age.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Data were collected via parent/caregiver self-report, which may lack reliability and validity compared to direct observation. The study did not assess the intensity, frequency, or severity of feeding behaviors, only their presence. There was no comparison group for global developmental delays alone, so it is unclear if feeding issues are specific to 3q29 deletion or common to GDD generally. The control group was screened for neurodevelopmental disorders, potentially underestimating the prevalence of mild feeding issues in the general population. The sample size was small, particularly for subgroup analyses involving ASD and GDD.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these feeding profiles apply to all children with genetic syndromes or developmental delays. The specific patterns of refusal and selectivity were tied to 3q29 deletion syndrome and its comorbidities, and the self-report nature of the data means severity was not objectively measured.