Britt Frisk Pados1, Rebecca R Hill2, Joy T Yamasaki3, Jonathan S Litt4, Christopher S Lee2. 1. Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Maloney Hall 268, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA. britt.pados@bc.edu. 2. Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Maloney Hall 268, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA. 3. CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 4. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Difficulties related to eating are often reported in children born preterm. The objective of this study was to quantitatively synthesize available data on the prevalence of problematic feeding in children under 4 years of age who were born preterm. METHODS: Literature was identified from PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo. The search was limited to English language and publication years 2000-2020. To be included in the meta-analysis, the article had to report the prevalence of problematic oral feeding within a population of children born prematurely (< 37 weeks' gestation), and the child age at the time of study had to be between full-term corrected age and 48 months. For studies meeting inclusion criteria, the following data were extracted: sample size and subsamples by gestational age and/or child age at time of study; definition of problematic feeding; measures used for assessment of feeding; gestational age at time of birth of sample; child age at time of study; exclusion criteria for the study; and prevalence of problematic feeding. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence of problematic feeding across all studies, by gestational age at birth, and by child age at time of study. RESULTS: There were 22 studies that met inclusion criteria. Overall prevalence of problematic feeding (N = 4381) was 42% (95% CI 33-51%). Prevalence was neither significantly different across categories of gestational age nor by child age at the time of study. Few studies used psychometrically-sound assessments of feeding. CONCLUSION: Problematic feeding is highly prevalent in prematurely-born children in the first 4 years of life regardless of degree of prematurity. Healthcare providers of children born preterm should consider screening for problematic feeding throughout early childhood as a potential complication of preterm birth. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.
BACKGROUND: Difficulties related to eating are often reported in children born preterm. The objective of this study was to quantitatively synthesize available data on the prevalence of problematic feeding in children under 4 years of age who were born preterm. METHODS: Literature was identified from PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo. The search was limited to English language and publication years 2000-2020. To be included in the meta-analysis, the article had to report the prevalence of problematic oral feeding within a population of children born prematurely (< 37 weeks' gestation), and the child age at the time of study had to be between full-term corrected age and 48 months. For studies meeting inclusion criteria, the following data were extracted: sample size and subsamples by gestational age and/or child age at time of study; definition of problematic feeding; measures used for assessment of feeding; gestational age at time of birth of sample; child age at time of study; exclusion criteria for the study; and prevalence of problematic feeding. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence of problematic feeding across all studies, by gestational age at birth, and by child age at time of study. RESULTS: There were 22 studies that met inclusion criteria. Overall prevalence of problematic feeding (N = 4381) was 42% (95% CI 33-51%). Prevalence was neither significantly different across categories of gestational age nor by child age at the time of study. Few studies used psychometrically-sound assessments of feeding. CONCLUSION: Problematic feeding is highly prevalent in prematurely-born children in the first 4 years of life regardless of degree of prematurity. Healthcare providers of children born preterm should consider screening for problematic feeding throughout early childhood as a potential complication of preterm birth. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.
Entities:
Keywords:
Bottle feeding; Breast feeding; Child; Feeding and eating disorders; Feeding behavior; Infant, premature
Authors: Pamela Dodrill; Sandra McMahon; Elizabeth Ward; Kelly Weir; Tim Donovan; Bena Riddle Journal: Early Hum Dev Date: 2004-01 Impact factor: 2.079
Authors: Amanda S Mahoney; Molly O'Donnell; James L Coyle; Rose Turner; Katherine E White; Stacey A Skoretz Journal: Dysphagia Date: 2022-08-31 Impact factor: 2.733