Proposals appropriate for submission to this topic area include typical and disordered pediatric feeding and swallowing from birth to 18 years old including research, prevention/screening, clinical and instrumental assessment, treatment approaches, and service delivery issues related to persons with pediatric feeding disorder and/or dysphagia. Interprofessional education and practice, and/or research that addresses the implementation of interprofessional competencies within practice models, and/or the evaluation of collaborative care outcomes specific for pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders should be included in this topic area as well.

Research

• Translational, applied, or implementation research related to typical and disordered swallowing and feeding (and associated disorders) in infants and children
• Outcomes evaluation/research related to typical and disordered swallowing and feeding in infants and children
• Quantitative inquiries including, but not limited to, clinical guidelines, meta-analysis, systematic reviews, randomized-controlled trials, well-designed case-control/quasi-experimental studies, single-case designs, and patient reported outcomes (PRO) related to typical and disordered swallowing and feeding in infants and children
• Qualitative studies with appropriate rigor and design including, but not limited to, phenomenological, grounded theory, narrative, case study, ethnography, and patient reported outcomes (PRO) related to typical and disordered swallowing and feeding in infants and children
• Mixed methods research related to typical and disordered swallowing and feeding in infants and children
• Research related to evidence-based practices, models of service delivery, innovations in services, provision of counseling or support services

Professional Education: Supervisory Considerations

• Administrative, legislative, and regulatory issues related to dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Education, training, and supervision of students and staff specific to dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Ethical issues specific to social media utilization for practitioners to disseminate information to consumers and colleagues specific to management and treatment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Technology as it relates to dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children (e.g., mobile applications, devices, software)

Professional Education: Screening and Evaluation

• Ethical issues specific to screening and evaluation of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Typical swallowing/feeding physiology in infants and children
• Prevention/screening of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Innovative technologies for the assessment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Instrumental assessment of swallowing and feeding in infants and children
• Diagnosis of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children

Professional Education: Treatment Approaches and Service Delivery

• Ethical issues specific to treatment and service delivery of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Innovative technologies for the treatment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Management of dysphagia/pediatric feeding in special populations (e.g., Congenital Heart Defect (CHD), medically complex with multiple etiologies/comorbidities, etc.)
• Management of neurogenic based dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children, (e.g., Down syndrome, Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy {HIE})
• Management of non-malignant esophageal/gastrointestinal disorders associated dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Neurodiversity affirming management of dysphagia/pediatric feeding in pediatric populations
• Orofacial myofunctional disorders as related to dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in children
• Outcomes, efficacy, and effectiveness related to the treatment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Professional education issues specific to treatment approaches and service delivery infants and children with feeding and swallowing disorders

Interprofessional Education: Screening and Evaluations

• Ethical issues specific to interprofessional and team screening and evaluations of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Interprofessional and team issues related to screening and/or evaluations of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Interprofessional education related to the roles and responsibilities of medical and allied health members responsible in screening and evaluations of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Interprofessional education related to the roles and responsibilities of local education agency members responsible in screening and evaluations of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Innovative service delivery models for screening and evaluations of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder through telepractice technology

Interprofessional Education: Treatment Approaches and Service Delivery

• Ethical issues specific to interprofessional and team treatment and service delivery of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Interprofessional and team issues related to the management of treatment and service delivery of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Interprofessional education related to the roles and responsibilities of medical and allied health members responsible in treatment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Interprofessional education related to the roles and responsibilities of local education agency members responsible in treatment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Innovative service delivery models for treatment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder through telepractice technology
• Nutritional management/support for dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Pharmacological, surgical, and other non-behavioral interventions for dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Palliative care and quality of life issues related to dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children
• Outcomes, efficacy, and effectiveness related to the interprofessional treatment of dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder in infants and children

Related Topics

Proposals that include this topic but have a primary focus on:

• Cultural considerations, health disparities, and access to services related to dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder should be submitted to the Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural–Linguistic Diversity topic area.
• Normal swallowing and swallowing disorders in adults should be submitted to the Adult Swallowing: Normal and Disordered topic area.
• Dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder as a result of craniofacial disorders should be submitted to the Craniofacial and Velopharyngeal Disorders topic area.
• Dysphagia/pediatric feeding disorder associated with head, neck, and esophageal cancers should be submitted to the Head and Neck Cancer Issues topic area.
• Speech disorders associated with orofacial myofunctional disorders should be submitted to the Speech Sound Disorders in Children With Normal Hearing or the Motor Speech Disorders Across the Lifespan topic area.
• Tracheostomy and ventilator dependence in pediatrics with impacts on laryngeal and voice function should be submitted to the Voice and Upper Airway Issues topic area.