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Semin Speech Lang 2007; 28(3): 232-238
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-984729
Copyright © 2007 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Ethical and Legal Challenges in Feeding and Swallowing Intervention for Infants and Children

Joan C. Arvedson1 , Maureen A. Lefton-Greif2
  • 1Program Coordinator, Feeding and Swallowing Services, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin - Milwaukee; Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • 2Eudowood Division of Pediatric Respiratory Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland
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Publication History

Publication Date:
23 July 2007 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Over the past decade, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have increased their involvement in the assessment and management of infants and children with complex feeding and swallowing problems. Given the complex problems demonstrated by these infants and children that vary across a range of conditions and degrees of severity, SLPs need to increase their knowledge in all the topics covered in this issue. This article will discuss the current state of evidence-based decision making, levels of evidence for studies of treatment efficacy, ethical principles in evidence-based decision making, and ethical decision-making considerations with feeding and swallowing issues using examples of three types of populations of infants and children with complex feeding and swallowing problems.

KEYWORDS

Dysphagia - deglutition - evidence-based - bioethics - pediatric

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Joan C ArvedsonPh.D. 

PO Box 1997

MS 785, Milwaukee, WI 53201

Email: jarvedson@chw.org