A preliminary study of the predictors of feeding problems in late infancy

The aim of this small study was to investigate three hypothesised predictors of feeding difficulties in late infancy. Oral-motor-skill function, illness, and mealtime negativity were investigated as possible predictors. Eighteen mothers were visited when their infants were approximately 18 months old (range 15-21 months), and asked to complete three retrospective questionnaires relating to their child's temperament, feeding habits and practices, oral-motor-skills and illness. Illness was found to be the best predictor of feeding difficulty, the infants who experienced the highest incidence of illness, particularly vomiting, had the highest scores for food neophobia and food refusal.