Feeding interventions
Following 101 out of 113 CFEs, the OT suggested one or more changes in
the way the child was fed. The most frequent suggestion was texture
adaptation, recommended to 89 out of 113 (79%) families, but other
interventions such as interface adaptation, oro-motor stimulation and
positioning were also employed frequently. The instruction to exclude
oral feeds completely was given for 5 children following CFE. Of these
five cases, four had previously been exclusively orally fed and one on
mixed feeds. The recommendation to remain on enteral feeds alone was
sustained in two of those five children following VFSS, while it was
found safe to resume oral feeding in the remaining three children.
Following VFSS, 12 children were asked to stop oral feeding. Of these,
only two had been given that recommendation based on CFE. Six had
previously been exclusively orally fed and six mixed fed. Taking all
feeding route recommendations post VFSS together, they differed
significantly from those based on the preceding CFE, p<0.001.
The rate of exclusively orally fed children rose from 65% to 79%;
p=0.006 following VFSS, whilst the rate of exclusively enterally fed
children also increased, from 10% to 14%; p=0.005.