Continuing Education Resources
Feeding Our Babies with an IDDSI Approach
Maria Provencio, M.A. CCS-SLP, Speech Therapy Supervisor at Valley Children’s Hospital presented ‘Feeding Our Babies with an IDDSI Approach” at Manhattan Restaurant, Fresno.
She presented the key differences between (old) NDD (National Dysphagia Diet) and (new) IDDSI (International Dysphagia diet Standardization Initiatives).
The rationales for change was to improve patient safety, deliver better treatment outcomes because the field of dysphagia has resolved, and the need of
standardization process in place.
There are different levels for liquids within IDDSI.
Level 0: thin drinks, flow through a straw or nipple. Intend for children not having swallowing difficulties.
Level 1: slightly thick drinks, thicker than water, can flow through a straw nipple. Often used for children having swallowing problems with thin liquids.
Level 2; mildly thick liquids, sippable, used if thin drinks and level 1 slightly thick liquids flow too quickly to be swallowed safely.
Thickening products out there when there is a need for thickened feeds in children 0-3 years of age include: Oatmeal, Gelmix, Purathick, and Hormel. Each products’ Pros and Cons were discussed as well.
She allows us to recognize an infant’s cures for feeding: when it’s a GO and when it’s a STOP. She helps us to understand there are feeding challenges in terms of good positioning, pacing, use of external support, etc.
She helps us to understand the nipple flow rates as well as their importance. It is an eye opening to know that nipple flow rates and allow us to recognize which infants are at risk for not managing fast flow rates nipples. The presentation was done in an intimating setting, fine dining and great speaker, what else more we can ask for!
Thank you Ross Nicholls and Mead Johnson for supporting CCANN for a
non-bias educational event.
