Understanding interactions between parents and non-verbal children during feeding
Summary
Feeding is a complex experience for children with disabilities. This study aims to understand the quality of interactions between non-verbal children and their parents during feeding. This will help us provide better nutritional care for these children.
Call to action
Do you have trouble understanding your child’s feeding needs? Consider participating in our research study to understand the interactions between parents and non-verbal children during feeding.
Who can participate
We are looking for participants who:
- Are non-verbal,
- Are between 3 and 19 years old,
- Are admitted to Holland Bloorview’s inpatient unit for at least 5 weeks,
- Are independently ventilating,
- Are safe to consume food orally throughout the study period,
- Are able to tolerate wearing a brain sensing cap during meal time.
Funding agency
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
What's involved
- 1x Onboarding session (1 hour) and 4x Meal sessions (2 hours) over 5 weeks at Holland Bloorview.
- Onboarding session: We will ask you questions about your background and take body measurements of your child. We will also collect hair samples from you and your child.
- Meal sessions: You will be asked to identify 4 mealtimes (lunch or dinner) over 5 weeks when it is convenient for you.
- At nights before each meal session, your child will be asked to wear a watch to monitor their sleep quality.
- In the morning, your child will be asked to spit into a tube to collect saliva samples, and wear a mask to measure their energy levels.
- During meal time, we will record video and brain activity from you and your child and measure your child’s dietary intake.
Deadline
Interested in participating
If you are interested in participating in this study or have additional questions, please contact Jason Leung at jleung@hollandbloorview.ca or 416-425-6220 x6236. Contacting us does not obligate you to participate in the study.
Additional information
Version date: May 16, 2025
eREB# 0762 – Towards the Development of Dyadic Feeding Quality Monitor
Deadline: January 1, 2027, or until 20 participants have been recruited.
