Multidisciplinary Developmental Feeding Clinic

Feeding evaluations are performed by a multidisciplinary team usually consisting of a developmental pediatrician, speech-language pathologist and a registered dietician.  Evaluations may also include collaboration, consultation, or referral to a social worker, gastroenterologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, lactation consultant, or other specialist. As UC Davis Health is a teaching hospital, current medical students and physicians may be involved in collaboration at your visit.

Our Multidisciplinary Feeding Program offers a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s feeding and swallowing during two, 1-hour long appointments. During this evaluation, our team  evaluates your child’s current medical status, feeding skills, swallowing safety, mealtime behaviors and parent-child relationship around eating. At the end of the evaluation, your family is given specific recommendations to help the child progress in their feeding abilities.

The feeding team will obtain an extensive medical, developmental, and feeding history from the parent or primary caregiver. As part of the history, we encourage you to come prepared with the form that you should receive in the mail prior to your appointment in addition to a completed 2-3 day food log brought to the evaluation for the therapists and dietician to review. A home video of a typical mealtime may also be helpful.

During the evaluation a brief oral and physical exam may  be performed on the child. Then the feeding team may observe the parent/caregiver feeding the child as would be done at home from behind a 1-way mirror and/or the speech therapist and pediatrician may be in the room while you offer a variety of foods to your child in order for the team to examine their tolerance with different foods and drinks and mealtime behavior. It is preferred that a child be somewhat hungry in preparation for the evaluation, and it is recommended that you bring food and utensils from home.

The feeding team will work with the family to develop strategies and recommendations for improving a child’s feeding skills. We consider family involvement to be a key component of our feeding clinic appointments. If a child’s feeding/swallowing challenges are left untreated, a feeding problem can lead to persistent medical, social, psychological, nutritional and academic deficits.