Thickened milk for the management of feeding and swallowing issues in infants: A call for interdisciplinary professional guidelines

摘要

In Australia, about 250000 infants are born each year.1 Infants are reliant on breast milk or infant formula as a sole source of nutrition and hydration, for at least their first 6 months of life. Published literature consistently reports the broad figure of 25% of infants who experience feeding difficulties at some stage of development.2'4 Prevalence and severity of feeding and swallowing difficulties increase with premature birth (25%-55%) and diagnosis of developmental disorders (80%). Exact epidemiologic data are difficult to find due to a lack of standard diagnostic protocols and terminology for coding feeding-related behaviors.2 The term feeding includes, but is not limited to, mother or infant factors associated with successful ingestion of human milk or formula (eg, attachment, refusal, infant endurance). Swallowing refers to the oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal phases of swallowing. Feeding and swallowing are tightly interwoven during infancy and early childhood.