Table 4.

Feeding and positioning behaviour observations for children with disabilities at baseline and evaluation

Feeding and positioning behaviour observations for children with disabilities
	22 observations	29 observations	Fisher's exact (two‐sided) p‐value	Qualitative summary
	Baseline n/N (%)	Evaluation n/N (%)		Length of feeding: 5−60 min
Child's body positioned upright and feet supported	5/17 (29.4)	17/27 (62.9)	0.062	Inappropriate positioning; limited handwashing observed; limited or no fluids offered; limited self‐feeding; inappropriate feeding utensils; inadequate interaction; inadequate dietary intake; food textures are modified; children fed only on a schedule; hunger cues are not observed; fast pacing of meals; caregivers are attentive to children; environments were calm, quiet and appropriately lit
Child's hands cleaned before mealtime	0/9 (0)	2/9 (20)	0.471
Child feeds self	2/21 (9.5)	0/28 (0)	0.179
The caregiver interacts during mealtime	18/22 (81)	23/26 (88.5)	0.687
The child receives altered food and/or liquid textures	9/22 (40.9)	25/28 (89.3)	0.001
The caregiver is responsive to hunger cues and fullness cues	4/16 (25)	10/22 (45)	0.309
The child does not cough when consuming liquids	2/8 (25)	3/12 (25)	1
The meal include all of the five food groups	1/14 (7.1)	3/21 (14.3)	0.635
The spoon or size of food offered is appropriate	2/15 (13)	16/22 (72)	0.001
The caregiver allows ample time for the child to appropriately and safely eat/swallow each bite	No observations completed	3/6 (50)	‐‐
The caregiver appropriately feeds the child at the child's pace	7/9 (80)	4/12 (40)	0.080
The caregiver cleans/assists with cleaning children's hands after mealtime (yes = desired)	1/6 (16)	5/8 (62.5)	0.138