Feeding interventions for children with cerebral palsy: a review of the evidence.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the evidence of the effectiveness of different feeding interventions for children with cerebral palsy.


METHODS
A search of 12 electronic databases identified all relevant studies. For each study, the quality of the methods was assessed according to the study design. A total of 33 articles were retrieved, and 21 studies were included in the final analysis.


RESULTS
Feeding interventions were separated into five main categories: oral sensorimotor facilitation, food consistency, positioning, oral appliances, and adaptive equipment. Five studies were randomized controlled trials. Outcomes were mainly reported on feeding safety and efficiency. One study documented positive results in height and weight change. Nineteen of the 21 studies presented positive outcomes in eating efficiency and/or safety.


CONCLUSIONS
Feeding interventions demonstrate potential benefits for children with cerebral palsy. However, the current level of evidence is poor, and empirical data are lacking. Methodologically, rigorous studies are required particularly investigating multimodal approaches.
Montreal Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. laurie.snider@mcgill.ca
Laurie
L
Snider
Annette
A
Majnemer
Vasiliki
V
Darsaklis
D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005248:Feeding Methods; D006801:Humans