title: Interdisciplinary Feeding Team: A Medical, Motor, Behavioral Approach to Complex Pediatric Feeding Problems.
abstract: Pediatric feeding difficulties are complex and multifactorial in nature. Children who need assessment and individualized treatment for complex feeding problems are best served by an interdisciplinary treatment team. The medical, motor, and behavioral approach to treating pediatric feeding problems is presented as an avenue to treatment. By necessity, this approach requires a well-functioning interdisciplinary team, including nurses, physicians, registered dietitians, and feeding therapists (speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists). We describe a robust interdisciplinary feeding team that applies a medical, motor, and behavioral approach to treating pediatric feeding problems. Within this team, pediatric gastroenterology nurse practitioners, dietitians, and speech pathologists function as integral members of the team. Description of each team member's expertise is provided and how they operate to support children with feeding problems and their families.
authors.affiliation: Cara McComish is an Assistant Professor, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Department of Allied Health, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. The author can be reached via e-mail at cara_mccomish@med.unc.eduKristen Brackett is a Speech-Language Pathologist, Rehabilitation Therapies, Co-Director, UNC Pediatric Feeding Team, UNC Children's Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC.Maureen Kelly is an Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.Christine Hall is a Pediatric Clinical Dietitian, UNC Children's Hospital Pediatric Specialty Clinics, Chapel Hill, NC.Sharon Wallace is a Pediatric Clinical Dietitian, UNC Children's Hospital Pediatric Specialty Clinics, Chapel Hill, NC.Victoria Powell is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, UNC Children's Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Cara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McComish
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brackett
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D057765:Eosinophilic Esophagitis / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000639:trends*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology; D000078329:Workforce