The Children We Serve
Are Our Most Precious Clients
Most of the children we serve at Heartland have received a diagnosis of either Failure-to-Thrive (FTT) or Autism. Children with these diagnoses frequently display one of two types of feeding issues:
Total Food Refusal or Food Selectivity
Total Food Refusal
Total food refusal is a slightly misleading term that applies to children who will eat only a few bites of food per meal - or even per day. In severe cases, children will consume absolutely nothing orally. In general, children who display total food refusal will have an oral caloric intake that is significantly lower than the child's caloric needs. This will often result in the child needing supplemental feedings (e.g., tube feedings) to meet their nutritional needs. Children who display total food refusal are often diagnosed with FTT and/or Developmental Delays.
Food Selectivity
Children who display food selectivity often will consume enough calories to meet their caloric needs (and may even be overweight), however the range of foods the child will eat is usually limited to a few food items (e.g., macaroni and cheese and french fries) or specific food groups (e.g., starches and fruits). This pattern of food consumption is often associated with children with autism spectrum disorders, however, typically developing children may also display similar eating patterns significant enough to require treatment. The effects of food-limited diets may not be significant in the short term, however there can be long-term problems.
Total food refusal is a slightly misleading term that applies to children who will eat only a few bites of food per meal - or even per day. In severe cases, children will consume absolutely nothing orally. In general, children who display total food refusal will have an oral caloric intake that is significantly lower than the child's caloric needs. This will often result in the child needing supplemental feedings (e.g., tube feedings) to meet their nutritional needs. Children who display total food refusal are often diagnosed with FTT and/or Developmental Delays.
Food Selectivity
Children who display food selectivity often will consume enough calories to meet their caloric needs (and may even be overweight), however the range of foods the child will eat is usually limited to a few food items (e.g., macaroni and cheese and french fries) or specific food groups (e.g., starches and fruits). This pattern of food consumption is often associated with children with autism spectrum disorders, however, typically developing children may also display similar eating patterns significant enough to require treatment. The effects of food-limited diets may not be significant in the short term, however there can be long-term problems.