03 April 2026 : Clinical Research
Nutritional Status and Nutrient Intake of Children With Feeding Disorders in Early Childhood
Kitti Sebestyén ABCDEF 1,2*, Krisztina Balázs ABD 2, Noémi Scheuring ADEF 2, László Szabó ADEFG 1,2,3DOI: 10.12659/MSM.951071
Med Sci Monit 2026; 32:e951071
Table 1 Diagnostic categories for children aged 0 to 36 months with feeding disorders based on pediatric feeding disorder (PFD)* diagnostic criteria (n=40).
| PFD* | n (%) |
|---|---|
| A disturbance in oral intake of nutrients, inappropriate for age, lasting at least 2 weeks and associated with 1 or more of the following** | |
| a. Malnutrition | 17 (42.5%) |
| b. Specific nutrient deficiency or significantly restricted intake of one or more nutrients resulting from decreased dietary diversity | 40 (100%) |
| c. Reliance on enteral feeds or oral supplements to sustain nutrition and/or hydration | 31 (77.5%) |
| a. Need for texture modification of liquid or food | 12 (30%) |
| b. Use of modified feeding position or equipment | 6 (15%) |
| c. Use of modified feeding strategies | 39 (97.5%) |
| a. Active or passive avoidance behaviors by child when feeding or being fed | 24 (60%) |
| b. Inappropriate caregiver management of child’s feeding and/or nutrition needs | 13 (32.5%) |
| c. Disruption of social functioning within a feeding context | 4 (10%) |
| d. Disruption of caregiver-child relationship associated with feeding | 16 (40%) |
| Absence of the cognitive processes consistent with eating disorders and pattern of oral intake is not due to a lack of food or congruent with cultural norms | 10 (25%) *** |
| * Goday PS, Huh SY, Silverman A, et al. Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Consensus Definition and Conceptual Framework. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2019;68(1):124–29; ** 15 Children’s data did not exhaust all 4 categories of PFD; *** Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suspected, redirection. | |