Evidence-Based Practice: Pediatric Feeding via Teletherapy Intervention

Photo by: Providence Doucet- Unsplash

PURPOSE: The authors of this study wanted to learn if sensory play delivered through a telehealth intervention would help children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder better tolerate wet food items. Two children completed a 6-week treatment using a modified (23 step) Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach that was developed by Dr. Kay Toomey.

DESIGN: Mixed-methods research design.

METHOD: There were 3 fifteen-minute treatment sessions that including play with a wet food that the child did not tolerate (mixed fruit), then the use of the SOS approach to trial the

mixed fruit cup, followed by a play-based reward portion. The child’s caregiver tracked the child’s food acceptance.

RESULTS: Both children accepted the fruit cup more at the end of the study than at the beginning.

CONCLUSION: This study’s finding provide preliminary evidence that by using caregiver education and teletherapy, children’s acceptance of non-preferred wet food may increase through tactile play and tracking of progress using the SOS hierarchy.

Reference:

Hawkins, J., Bileck, A.,  Brown, A., Eckert, H. Smith, D. (2022). Pediatric feeding via teletherapy intervention. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(Supplement 1), doi: 10.5014/ajot.2022.76S1-PO45