Normal texture progression in infancy (Delaney et al., 2021)
Creators: name: Delaney, Amy L.
name: Hoorn, Megan Van
name: Staskiewicz, Sarah
name: Feuling, Mary Beth
name: Pladies, Stephanie
name: Bansal, Naveen K.
name: Goday, Praveen S.
Publisher: name: ASHA journals
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Developmental Biology
subject: Health Care
subject: 111199 Nutrition and Dietetics not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: <b>Purpose:</b> The lack of age-appropriate expectations for the acquisition of feeding skills and consumption of textured food in early childhood inhibits early and accurate identification of developmental delay in feeding and pediatric feeding disorder. The objective of this study was to describe texture intake patterns in a cohort of typically developing infants between 8 and 12 months of age, with the aim of informing future research to establish targets for feeding skill acquisition.<b>Method: </b>Using cross-sectional methodology, we studied the presence of liquid and solid textures and drinking methods in the diet, consumption patterns by texture and drinking methods, and caloric intake by texture via caregiver questionnaire and 3-day dietary intake record in 63 healthy infants between 8 and 12 months of age. Descriptive statistics and a one-way analysis of variance were conducted to compare the effect of age on texture intake patterns.<b>Results: </b>Findings reveal rapid advancement of intake patterns for texture overall and for energy intake by texture between 8 and 12 months of age. Whereas liquids continue to provide a large proportion of total energy through this time, solids contribute an equal proportion of energy by 12 months of age.<b>Conclusions:</b> This study describes texture intake patterns in a cohort of typically developing infants between 8 and 12 months of age by examining the presence of texture and drinking methods, liquid and solid consumption patterns, and energy intake by texture. When applied to data from a future population sample, findings will provide a threshold for age expectations for typical and disordered feeding development to aid in the detection of developmental delay in feeding and pediatric feeding disorder.<b>What Is Known:</b>• Expectations regarding early feeding development have been focused on nutrition parameters.• Lack of standardized, age-appropriate expectations for texture progression in infancy and early childhood inhibits early and accurate identification and treatment of pediatric feeding disorder.<b>What Is New:</b>• We have described changes in dietary composition by texture and drinking method in healthy infants. • Together with nutritional composition, this study describes a more comprehensive assessment of infant feeding, particularly to clinicians who need to diagnose feeding skill deficits.<br><b>Supplemental Material S1.</b> Developmental Questionnaire.<br>Delaney, A. L., Van Hoorn, M., Staskiewicz, S., Feuling, M. B., Pladies, S., Bansal, N. K., &amp; Goday, P. S. (2021). Texture consumption patterns of 8- to 12-month-old infants: A reflection of typical feeding development.<i> American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology</i>. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-21-00048