Evaluation of Practice Trials to Increase Self-Drinking in a Child with a Feeding Disorder

Peterson et al. (2017) worked with one toddler who would not drink from a cup. The team made adult-fed drinking harder by adding extra steps. They also gave the child five quick practice turns with an empty cup before each meal.

The study used a single-case design. Sessions happened during normal meals at a clinic.

Self-drinking jumped once the two changes were in place. The child began to lift and swallow from the cup without help.

Vassos et al. (2023) took the same brief-practice idea into family homes via telehealth. They taught parents to use praise and small rewards for food selectivity. Both studies show that short, parent-led drills can fix feeding problems without long clinic stays.

Azrin et al. (1969) used a knob-turn to prime pill taking in adults. Like Peterson, they showed that a tiny, effort-based warm-up can spark a whole chain of self-care.

Zhang et al. (2012) tried mild electrical stimulation and saw small feeding gains in autistic children. Their medical route worked a little, but Peterson’s simple behavioral tweak gave a clear, fast change for one child.

You can copy this package tomorrow: make the old, easier way (spoon or bottle) a bit harder, then run five empty-cup trials before the drink. No extra staff or gadgets are needed. If telehealth families can learn similar drills, you can coach parents to do the same at kitchen tables.