Clinical Validation of Feeding Handicap Index for Children (FHI-C).
The FHI-C is the first quick scale that turns feeding stress into a number you can track.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team built a new rating scale called the Feeding Handicap Index for Children.
They tested it on kids with autism, intellectual disability, or general delays.
A control group of typically developing kids was used for comparison.
Doctors and parents answered questions about how feeding issues affect daily life.
What they found
The FHI-C proved it can spot the social and emotional toll of feeding problems.
Scores were stable when the same child was rated twice.
Kids with developmental disabilities scored higher, showing more feeding-related stress.
How this fits with other research
Saether et al. (2013) and Heyrman et al. (2011) did the same kind of work for trunk control.
They also showed strong numbers for reliability and validity in kids with cerebral palsy.
Together these papers give you a playbook: validate first, then use the tool.
Andrews et al. (2024) looked at feeding too, but focused only on over-eating in genetic syndromes.
Their study and this one do not clash; they measure different parts of feeding behavior.
Why it matters
You now have a quick, free scale that turns "feeding is hard" into a number you can track.
Use it at intake, share results with parents, and watch progress after any feeding plan.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with developmental disabilities (DD) exhibit feeding and swallowing difficulties, which can have an impact on nutritional, developmental, and psychological aspects. The existing tools assess the nature of feeding problems and behaviors only. The present study aimed to assess the physical, functional, and emotional domains in children with DD with feeding issues using Feeding handicap index for children (FHI-C). For clinical validation, FHI-C was administered on the parents/caregivers of 60 children with cerebral palsy, 61 with autism spectrum disorder, 59 with intellectual disability and 60 typically developing children in the age range of 2 to 10 years. The results revealed that the mean scores (Total FHI-C and FHI-C domain scores) were significantly higher for all three clinical groups than for the control group, which revealed good clinical validity. Also, FHI-C was found to have significantly high test-retest reliability. The study presents a valid and reliable tool for assessing the psychosocial handicapping effects of feeding problems in children with DD. FHI-C provides a holistic picture about the psychosocial impact of feeding problems in children with DD and will assist the clinicians in prioritizing the goals for feeding therapy. The scores obtained can be used as reference for pre and post therapy comparison purposes.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2023 · doi:10.1111/1469-7610.00792