- Medical Stability
- Facilitating Safe Swallowing
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Nutrition Management to Improve Oral Nutritional Intake/Nutrition and Hydration
- Estimating Energy and Protein Requirements
- Supporting Adequate Growth
- Supporting Oral Nutrition for Exclusively Breastfed Infants
- Supporting Oral Nutrition for Formula Fed Infants
- Supporting Oral Nutrition for Infants Between 6 - 12 Months
- Supporting Oral Nutrition from 12 Months Onward
- Ensuring Adequate Fluid Intake
- Supporting a Healthy Eating Pattern
- When to Consider Enteral Nutrition
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Seating and Positioning
- Positioning of Infants and Young Children for Feeding
- Positioning for Breast and Bottle Feeding in Infants and Young Children
- Positioning When Introducing Solids
- Using Highchairs and Boosters
- Positioning for Infants, Children and Youth with Significant Postural Needs
- Using Specialized Seating Equipment
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Feeding Skill Development
- Facilitating First Tastes
- Facilitating Infant Feeding as a Neurodevelopmental Skill
- Facilitating Child Feeding as a Neurodevelopmental Skill and a Relational and Responsive Process
- Facilitating Oral Sensorimotor Function
- Considerations for Pacifier/Soother Use
- Considerations for Breastfeeding
- Considerations for Bottle Feeding
- Considerations for Solids
- Additional Resources
- Feeding Environments and Routines
- Sensory Processing/Regulation
- Oral Hygiene and Dental Health
- Surgical Management
Using Highchairs and Boosters
If recommending commercially available highchairs, it is most appropriate that they have a high back, some padding, tilt-in-space and an accessible tray. If tilt-in-space is not available, but is needed in order to not change the position of the pelvis, specialized seating may be required.
For children with minimal postural needs, the use of towels or foam to modify their posture may be adequate, e.g. at lumbar and laterals. To modify seat height and depth, some foam, flat cushions, or pillows can be used but it is essential to ensure that stability is maintained.
It is important for a child’s feet to be supported during feeding. Ensure that the footrest is the correct height, or supports are in place as needed.