Feed-thickening for infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit (NICU) is performed due to concerns of dysphagia and gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD). No standards currently exist regarding feed-thickening prescriptions
and practices and this results in variable and potentially unsafe feeding approaches.
Methods: Electronic surveys were sent to neonatal feeding therapists and providers
in order to determine the prescriptions and practices currently being used for feedthickening
in the NICU.