Inpatient behavioral feeding

The Inpatient Behavioral Feeding Program at Children's Wisconsin provides intensive behavioral assessment and intervention for children with feeding disorders.

The program includes:

• Ongoing assessment of feeding problems
• Development of a behavioral treatment plan.
• Reduction/elimination of tube feeding to encourage hunger and increase motivation for oral feeding.
• Intensive feeding therapy with a pediatric psychologist specializing in feeding disorders.
• Training and other education to provide parents the skills necessary to respond to behavioral problems and maintain successful oral feeding at home.
• 24-hour supervision for children who require physician and nursing care for fluid and nutrition intake.

Goals are individualized for each child, but may include:

• Improving quantity of oral feeding.
• Increasing the variety of foods and textures accepted.
• Decreasing mealtime behavior problems.
• Teaching the child to associate hunger with feeding.

Children are admitted to the program for about a two-week inpatient stay when:

• Medically necessary.
• Outpatient treatments have been ineffective.
• Their nutritional and weight status is adequate for intensive behavioral intervention.
• Parents agree to be present for all meals during the hospitalization.