Browsing by Author "Carvalho e Marques, Pedro"
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- Feeding and eating difficulties in early childhood – Characterization of a child psychiatry consultationCarvalho e Marques, Pedro; Monteiro, Maria do Rosário; Rodrigues, Márcia; Fernandes, Graça; Martins, VâniaIntroduction: Feeding difficulties in early childhood are among the most common problems reported by parents and may reflect the child’s own characteristics or a relational problem. They are associated with problems in later life, such as behavioral disorders, cognitive deficits, and eating disorders. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective, descriptive analysis of sociodemographic and clinical data of children under six years of age with feeding or eating problems evaluated at a first consultation in a child psychiatry unit of a tertiary hospital between January 2019 and May 2021. Children with a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder were excluded. Results: Of a total of 647 children evaluated, 57 (8.81%) were classified as having feeding difficulties. Their median age was 24.5 months. Food selectivity was the most frequently reported problem (45.6%), followed by difficulties in self-regulation at mealtimes (43.9%) and decreased appetite (33.3%). Among the mothers, 21% had a history of depressive disorders and 7% had a history of anxiety disorders.Forty-nine percent of children had patterns of interaction with their primary caregiver that were considered worrisome or disruptive. Fifty-four percent of the therapeutic interventions provided were child-parent psychotherapy.Conclusions: Early identification and intervention are needed for children with feeding problems. Feeding problems are common in early childhood and a multidisciplinary approach must always be considered as they can affect several domains of the child’s health and development.
- Feeding difficulties in the offspring of mothers with an eating disorder - a case reportCarvalho e Marques, Pedro; Sá, Teresa; Martins, VâniaBackground: One of the main risk factors for eating disorders (ED) in early childhood is maternal ED. Mothers with a history of ED have difficulties in their approach to feeding their children, with mealtimes being perceived as stressful, with controlling behavior and intrusiveness. Case presentation: An 11-month-old female infant was evaluated at a Child Psychiatry Consultation for feeding difficulties. Her mother had a history of Restrictive Anorexia Nervosa. Mother-child psychotherapy was performed due to a pattern of insecure attachment and an ongoing conflict over control and autonomy between the caregiver-child. After the intervention, mealtimes became more natural and less conflictual. Discussion and conclusion: The authors aim to shed light on the transgenerational transmission of ED. Feeding interactions between mothers with ED and their offspring are less harmonious, with greater conflict, controlling behaviors, negative affect and decreased emotional availability to the child. Clinicians must be aware of a potential parental history of ED when dealing with children with feeding problems.