Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of professionals working with young children with feeding difficulties

Abstract

Early detection of feeding difficulties in childhood is critical for timely support, which may prevent simple feeding problems from becoming pervasive or resistant to intervention. Our study aimed to describe the range of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of established paediatricians, GPs, CHNs and early childcare educators working with young children with feeding difficulties and their caregivers. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian paediatricians, General Practitioners (GPs), Child Health Nurses (CHNs), and early childhood educators working with children aged two years and below. Findings from our study suggest that healthcare practitioners are relying on anthropometric measurements of growth to identify feeding difficulties, and the most common age at which feeding difficulties are seen in practice is after two years of age. Food insecurity, cultural factors, and access to specialised services are still a challenge, creating a barrier to early identification and intervention.