May is Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Month

“We hope that Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Month inspires more families, members of the medical community, educational institutions, government entities, insurers and the broader community worldwide to ask questions and seek support,” said Jaclyn Pederson, CEO of Feeding Matters.

PHOENIX (PRWEB)
May 04, 2023

Adding to their many pioneering efforts, Feeding Matters, is proud to celebrate the 5th annual PFD Awareness month which is recognized around the globe with fourteen officially approved states and counting. The Arizona based nonprofit requested this special designation in 2019 to highlight the medical, emotional, financial, educational and social struggles that families navigating the broad spectrum of pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) face. Arizona Governor, Katie Hobbs, issued a proclamation declaring May 2023 as annual Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Month. View the Governor’s proclamation in full here.

PFD impacts more than one in 37 American children under the age of five annually. This makes PFD more prevalent than well-known childhood conditions such as cerebral palsy and autism. Defined as impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate and is associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skills, and/or psychosocial dysfunction, PFD is more than a symptom, it is its own condition. Struggling families face many barriers including; a lack of evidence-based data, the diverse and often misunderstood or underserved nature of PFD, grief and pressure when they cannot feed their child. Moreover, they face the challenge of painstaking meal times where every bite, every calorie and every milestone is extremely hard-earned.

In attempt to advocate for these families, Feeding Matters is proud to announce their first annual PFD Awareness Month Campaign: Call it PFD: Feed the Cause, helping individuals educate themselves and others through ample opportunities to get involved:

“There is an undeniable link between heightened awareness of PFD and equitable access to screening, diagnosis, and early intervention that will positively contribute to the health outcomes for thousands of children,” said Jaclyn Pederson, chief executive officer of Feeding Matters. “We hope that Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Month inspires more families, members of the medical community, educational institutions, government entities, insurers and the broader community worldwide to ask questions and seek support,” Pederson concluded.

The simple Feeding Matters Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire may help target areas of concern for families and physicians. Families, caretakers and members of the medical community are also encouraged to visit: Resources and Support or to join us and attend our virtual International PFD conference, available on-demand through May 31, 2023.

About Feeding Matters

For kids with pediatric feeding disorder (PFD), every bite of food can be painful, scary, or simply impossible to swallow, potentially impeding nutrition, development, growth, and overall well-being. Yet, there is no functional system of care for PFD locally, nationally, or internationally. That’s why Feeding Matters is dedicated to creating a world where children with pediatric feeding disorder will thrive. Established in 2006, Feeding Matters is the first organization in the world uniting the concerns of families with the field’s leading advocates, experts, and allied healthcare professionals to ignite unprecedented change to the system of care through advocacy, education, support, and research – including a stand-alone diagnosis, the International Pediatric Feeding Disorder Conference, and the Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire. In 2021, Feeding Matters reached nearly 200,000 individuals in 50 states and 143 countries through their programs and website. To learn more about pediatric feeding disorder, visit feedingmatters.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube at @FeedingMatters.

Media Contacts:

Stephanie Sanstead

Public Relations

stephanie@communicadenceco.com

602-476-9997

Jaclyn Pederson, MHI

Chief Executive Officer

Feeding Matters

jpederson@feedingmatters.org

602-690-6680

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