Diagnostic Subtypes of Feeding Disorders in Infancy: An Empirical Contribution on Mother-Child Feeding Interactions, Child and Mother Psychopathological Risk Factors

DIAGNOSTIC SUBTYPES OF FEEDING DISORDERS IN INFANCY: AN EMPIRICAL CONTRIBUTION ON MOTHER-CHILD FEEDING INTERACTIONS, CHILD AND MOTHER PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS Introduction: DC:0-3, the manual of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood, in the last revision (2005), included six feeding disorders. The DSM-5 Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) recognized three of the six FD in Zero To Three: Infantile Anorexia is under “lack of interest”, Sensory Food Aversions is under “sensory avoidance”, feeding disorder associated with insults to the gastrointestinal tract is under “fear-based avoidance”. The recognition of FD subtypes is useful to explore factors involved in etiology, clinical course and treatment. Methods: Infantile Anorexia (IA), Feeding Disorder Associated with Insults to the Gastrointestinal Tract (FDIGT), and Sensory Food Aversions (SFA) will be presented by exploring: mother-child interactions; children’s emotional functioning; maternal psychological status and eating attitudes. All dyads were videotaped during feeding; mothers completed EAT-40, SCL-90, CBCL/1½-5. Results: Significant differences emerged among the FD subtypes in Anticipatory Distress and Resistance to Food. Children with FDIGT and IA showed less optimal mother-child interactions. Children with FDIGT showed higher scores in Aggressive Behavior. Children with IA showed higher scores in Anxiety/Depression. Mothers of IA-group showed higher scores in: Somatization, Depression, Dysfunctional Eating. Conclusions: results highlight the importance of early diagnosis and specific treatments for each of the disorders