Ethical Considerations of Behavioral Feeding Interventions

Tereshko et al. (2021) wrote a narrative review. They looked at ethical questions that come up when we use ABA to treat feeding problems in children with autism.

The authors pulled together best-practice tips and mapped them onto the BACB Ethics Code. They did not run a new experiment; they summarized what seasoned clinicians already know.

The paper gives a checklist for staying ethical. Key points: start with a doctor, get real assent, track medical risk, and write a clear crisis plan.

They stress that feeding work is never solo work. A team must include behavior analysts, doctors, and dietitians from day one.

Linscheid (2006) showed that real-world feeding therapy needs flexible, medical-aware teams. Tereshko et al. echo that view and add an ethics lens on top.

Hodges et al. (2020) proved functional analysis works for mealtime behavior. Tereshko folds those same assessment steps into their ethical checklist.

Seiverling et al. (2018) found that tacking on sensory therapy gives no extra benefit. Tereshko’s review quietly agrees: pick evidence-based pieces, skip the fluff, and document why.

You now have a one-page ethics cheat sheet for feeding cases. Before the first bite session, check the list: doctor cleared, assent gained, data sheet ready, team phone numbers listed. If any box is blank, stop and fix it. This habit keeps you compliant, keeps kids safe, and keeps parents confident.