This study examined the effects of an exposure-based behavioral treatment on food refusal in a 4-year-old girl who developed a fear of choking after an acute choking episode. Prior to treatment, the child had stopped eating almost all solid foods for 3 months and was primarily consuming a chocolate-flavored pediatric formula. Treatment occurred across the span of 2 weeks and took place at a pediatric feeding program. At the end of treatment, the child accepted over 30 new foods and was no longer dependent on a pediatric formula to meet her nutritional needs.

This study examined changes in child mealtime behavior, diet variety, and family mealtime environment after intensive interdisciplinary behavioral treatment (IIBT) for 52 children referred to a day treatment feeding program. Children fell into three developmental status groups including autism spectrum disorder ( n = 16), other special needs ( n = 19), and no special needs ( n = 17), with some having no known medical problems ( n = 22) and some having gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary, and/or endocrine-metabolic problems ( n = 28). At pre-intervention and post-intervention, caregivers completed the About Your Child’s Eating scale, the Brief Assessment of Mealtime Behavior in Children, and a food preference inventory of 70 common foods (20 fruits, 23 vegetables, 12 proteins, 8 grains, 7 dairy). Mixed-factor 2 × 3 ANOVAs compared each of the 11 feeding outcomes across the two study phases (pre-, post-intervention) for the three developmental status groups. All feeding outcomes except fruit acceptance showed significant improvements from pre- to post-intervention, with no main effects for developmental status, and no interaction effects. Additionally, mixed-factor 2 × 2 ANOVAs compared each of the 11 feeding outcomes across the two study phases (pre-, post-intervention) for children with and without medical problems. All feeding outcomes except fruit acceptance showed significant improvements from pre- to post-intervention, with no main effects for medical status, and no interaction effects. Present results suggest that IIBT is effective for improving a number of children’s feeding problems, regardless of their developmental or medical status.