Current Practice Patterns and Training Pathways for Feeding Infants with Cleft Palate

Abstract

Objective

To examine the current trends and practices across disciplines for feeding infants with cleft palate with or without cleft lip and to describe provider training within this area

Design

Prospective survey

Setting

ACPA approved cleft palate teams and healthcare providers in the United States and Canada

Participants

Interdisciplinary providers that regularly provide feeding services to infants with cleft palate

Intervention

50-item survey designed and distributed electronically via the ACPA

Main Outcome Measures

Information on provider demographics and practice patterns

Results

76 respondents included providers in North America that have either currently or previously served on a cleft palate team. The majority of respondents were in speech-language pathology (49%) or nursing (38%) disciplines, worked in an outpatient setting (70%), and received no information (68%) regarding cleft palate feeding in their academic training. While specific practice patterns were relatively consistent across the respondent cohort, provider characteristics were significantly associated with squeezing the Haberman (p = .013) and likelihood of collaboration with other providers when counseling parents/caregivers (p = .039).

Conclusions

While provider characteristics varied, there were similar practice patterns observed across disciplines. Future research is needed explore training related to feeding knowledge as well as practice patterns in locations with a lower patient volume.