Validation of the D-TAP Parental Questionnaire for Early Screening of Pediatric Feeding Disorder in Hospitalized Children Aged 8 to 18 Months

This single-center observational study aims to evaluate the validity of the D-TAP parental questionnaire for early screening of pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) in hospitalized children aged 8 to 18 months. Currently, no standardized screening test is routinely used by all healthcare professionals in France to identify PFD, despite its reported prevalence and potential consequences for child development, family well-being, and healthcare costs. The D-TAP questionnaire will be compared with the Montreal Children's Hospital Feeding Scale. A blinded clinical speech-language pathology assessment of information collected during a semi-structured parental interview will be used to identify signs suggestive of PFD. A total of 100 children will be included. The study will assess the diagnostic performance of the D-TAP questionnaire, identify an optimal screening threshold, and explore whether parents initiate contact with a community-based speech-language therapist within six weeks after being informed of signs suggestive of PFD.

Inclusion Criteria: * Children aged 8 to 18 months, inclusive, receiving care within the pediatric medical-surgical department at the Hautepierre site. * Children born at or after 37 weeks of gestation. Parents who are French-speaking. * Parents affiliated with a social security or health insurance scheme. * Parents who have agreed to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Parents who refuse participation. * Children diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder. * Children with oromyofacial malformations. * Children with digestive conditions affecting oral feeding, including esophageal achalasia, esophageal atresia, necrotizing enterocolitis, gastroschisis, Hirschsprung disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, omphalocele, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, or short bowel syndrome. * Children with neurological conditions affecting feeding, including pediatric stroke, spinal muscular atrophy, developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, congenital myopathies, cerebral palsy, CHARGE syndrome, congenital myasthenic syndromes, Prader-Willi syndrome, Rett syndrome, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, traumatic brain injury, or trisomy. * Children with a history of prolonged hospitalization or invasive care during the neonatal period. * Children currently receiving or previously having received artificial nutrition, whether enteral or parenteral.