Document Type

Capstone

Abstract

Background: 3 According to recent studies, there is strong evidence to support the effectiveness for education over feeding therapy interventions and its link to promoting carryover within a client's environments. However, there is limited literature concerning the effects that teacher education over sensory feeding can provide to the pediatric population. This Capstone project was developed to provide evidence-based support for teacher education over this therapeutic concept and the positive outcomes it can have on student's goal progression. Furthermore, when a student's occupational performance is being negatively impacted by feeding aversions and behaviors, he/she is unable to successfully engage in meaningful occupations, in this case eating. Methods: This project started with the creation of a needs assessment survey designed to measure the need for teachers to participate in sensory feeding training. Once this need was established, an educational presentation with a pre- and post-test surveys for teacher professionals was employed to instruct participants in how to implement sensory feeding interventions safely within their classroom under the guide of a trained therapist. Utilizing data from electronic surveys, analysis was conducted through online websites in order to objectively determine the impact of the in-service on teacher's knowledge and future participation in sensory feeding within their practice. Results: In setting out to determine a need for sensory feeding within the school system, it was found that a large percentage of teachers were around their students at lunch time, taught students with sensory concerns and feeding difficulties, and had never received training over sensory feeding in the past. It was also determined that by providing an evidence-based approach, a measurable difference was demonstrated by the responses in participants regarding the teacher's role in their students' plan of care, how feeding difficulties present themselves, and the theories backing sensory feeding. In addition, teachers demonstrated improved understanding for how to implement what they learned through answering hypothetical scenarios regarding sensory feeding. It was also found that the majority of teachers reported being likely to implement the techniques they were taught during the in-service within their school setting. The sensory feeding training program described provided an effective means for promoting meaningful occupational performance within the school setting by instructing how to create a good fit between the person (students), environment (school), and occupation (eating).

Publication Date

4-2021

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