Telehealth as a Gateway to Better Nutrition in Pediatrics - Abstract
Pediatric feeding disorders are multifactorial in nature and thus provide management challenges for caregivers and their providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented additional challenges for these families including rising rates of food insecurity, and difficulty locating recommended formulas, supplements, and preferred foods. However, the implementation of telehealth has been beneficial because it has permitted clinicians the unique perspective of evaluating the child in their natural environment. This has resulted in identifying challenges in the child’s care management that would not have otherwise been realized and allowed our clinicians to better tailor their recommendations to the individual child and family situation. Furthermore, telehealth has given families the opportunity to meet with their clinicians while in their home environment, thus reducing the logistical and financial burden of in-person visits.