Journal of Pediatric Psychology · 5 authors, 5 centres
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This scoping review synthesized 18 studies on complementary feeding in children with Down syndrome and found that these children are introduced to complementary foods later and progress to challenging textures more slowly than typically developing peers, with parents employing more cautious and controlling feeding practices.
This scoping review followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework with enhancements from Levac et al. (2010) and was reported per PRISMA-ScR guidelines, synthesizing 18 journal articles published between January 1991 and June 2022 identified across five databases. The review found that children with Down syndrome were introduced to complementary foods later than typically developing children and progressed to more challenging textures at a slower rate. Parents of children with Down syndrome employed more restrictive and controlling feeding practices and had higher levels of concern about their child's weight. A limitation is that many included studies had small sample sizes. Thirteen of the 18 studies were from western countries, potentially influencing findings related to timing and practices. No longitudinal research exists on this topic, and only two studies explored interventions. The authors recommend that feeding support be available before and throughout the complementary feeding period to address parental concerns and minimize delays.
