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There is a relationship between eating behaviours and the development of speech-language competences during childhood. This study aims to evaluate the impact of interdisciplinary sessions on food and speech-language education with children’s parents.

The session was focused on healthy eating habits and behaviours that may improve or impair child speech competence. Using a self-administered questionnaire, before and immediately after the session, parents from 11 preschools, answered 12 questions, on a five-point Likert scale. Questionnaires from the final sample (n = 96) were statistically analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test.

Statistical analysis revealed statistically significant differences in answers to six questions between pre and post intervention: items 1 (Z = −5.04; p < 0.001), 2 (Z = −3.68; p < 0.001), 3 (Z = −4.12; p < 0.001), 4 (Z = −5.87; p < 0.001), 9 (Z = −2.73; p = 0.006) and 12 (Z = −2.00; p = 0.046). The questionnaire responses after the session showed that parents became more aware of the relationship between the two areas addressed. In addition, the subjects presented more assertiveness in their answers after the educational intervention of the nutritionist and the speech therapist.

The study showed the importance of associating topics on food and speech-language education and both being addressed simultaneously to parents. The empowerment of parents and other caregivers about feeding and speech-language development may increase their motivation to foster child healthy eating behaviours. It is also desirable to extend this kind of interdisciplinary intervention to other preschools.

This study fulfils an identified need to study the perceived knowledge of parents about the food-related behaviours influencing speech-language competences of children.

Eating and swallowing are natural processes for sustaining life. Every occasion that we celebrate involves food. Swallowing is a complex and intricate process that involves the coordination of neural control, muscles, nerves, and respiration working together for normal swallowing to occur. When a traumatic event occurs that compromises those systems, swallowing will inevitably be affected. Children who have sustained traumatic events will have devastating effects on normal development and swallowing. Some may require feeding tubes as their primary source of nutrition while others may require the assistance of a speech-language pathologist. This chapter will provide insight in conditions that impact feeding and swallowing and the role of specialists working with learners who exhibit those problems.

This study examined the impact of an early childhood community-outreach summer camp on teaching single adolescent mothers early communication tools and strategies to support interaction with their infants and toddlers who were language delayed or at risk for language delay. Twenty-two mothers and their children were taught communication strategies through the use of baby signs and Hanen techniques for parents. Pre-post knowledge and skills were assessed. Mothers also completed a post-camp satisfaction questionnaire. Overall, mothers learned the information on baby signs and communication strategies. They were positive about the impact of the camp program activities on the social-emotional and communicative relationship between themselves and their child.

The treatment and care of persons with a disability should and must be all encompassing. With the expansion of the knowledge that proper dieting can make a difference in the individual’s development and quality of life, attention must be focused on using proper food intake to remediate the negative impact of a disability. Food is related to proper healthcare; therefore, we must include proper nutrition in working with learners with exceptionalities. We must add to the list of treatments not only educational intervention, social interaction, and independent living, but also food intake. This chapter looks at the dietary needs of several disabling conditions, and addresses how particular dietary food selections help in their development and their ability to learn integration, playing skills with others, and working independently when called on to do so. Therefore, for the purposes of this chapter, we focus on exceptionalities such as cognitive disability, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), muscular dystrophy, and cystic fibrosis.

This chapter is structured for teaching young learners with physical (orthopedic) disabilities in special education. Orthopedic impairments encompass a range of disabling conditions. Orthopedic impairments are typically grouped into three main categories: (1) congenital anomalies (CA) such as absence of a member or clubfoot, (2) impairments caused by disease such as bone tuberculosis (TB) or poliomyelitis, or (3) impairments for other causes to include amputations, fractures, cerebral palsy (CP), burns, or fractures. In the chapter, the authors present definitions of various orthopedic impairments and discuss their respective etiologies followed by discussions of specific disabling conditions. Students with orthopedic impairments present both challenges and opportunities to special education teachers as is evident in the following case of Amira, a girl with asthma and CP.

The purpose of this study was to survey current culinary, hospitality and nutrition students to determine their level of knowledge about dysphagia, or swallowing impairment, and the dysphagia diet. In addition, the study provided a means by which to gauge current students’ awareness of health-care foodservice as a career option.

A pilot study conducted in 2009 indicated that health-care foodservice workers were unaware of many of the risks associated with the dysphagia diet. A second study was conducted in 2012 to obtain an idea of the perceptions and knowledge levels of culinary, hospitality and nutrition students about dysphagia. Subjects included students across the three disciplines at two large universities in the Midwestern USA, and a private culinary school on the east coast of the USA. The instrument consisted of a traditional paper survey containing 18 questions. A total sample size of n = 139 surveys was collected and analyzed.

Results of the survey suggests that current university students are lacking in some areas of knowledge concerning dysphagia patients and their dietary needs. Education and training are indicated, as the number of patients suffering from some degree of dysphagia is only going to increase as the US population ages. Findings also indicate that many introductory-level students are unaware of health-care foodservice as a viable career choice in industry.

The primary limitations to this research were the relatively small sample size, and the fact that most students surveyed were not interested or aware of health-care foodservice as a viable industry career choice. This study would be greatly enhanced by contacting professors/instructors at several universities representing the Northeast, Midwest, and east and west coasts of the USA. Educating future foodservice professionals at the introductory level would allow industry leaders to make students aware of this large and necessary sector of the foodservice industry. Likewise, there is no doubt that food preparers, food deliverers and foodservice managers in health care will come in contact with a patient with some level of dysphagia as our population ages. More research to strengthen this body of data is indicated, as are similar studies across broader ranges of the population.

The occurrence of dysphagia is growing as the US population ages. That fairly little research has been done is somewhat alarming. There is a need for standardization of recipe formulas, benchmarking viscosities of dietary liquids and solids and training of food preparers. The symptom is found in very large populations in the USA, as well as in Europe. Also, the fact that dysphagia has so many potential causes makes the symptom that much more of a health issue. More research is certainly called for to better prepare potential institutional foodservice employees for the next 20 years.

Millions of Americans currently suffer from at least some degree of dysphagia. This number is expected to increase as the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age. The USA will be populated by more elderly people than ever before, and will thus host more individuals suffering from swallowing impairment. Health-care foodservice, including hospital and long-term care foodservice will certainly become a viable career choice for current students of culinary arts, nutrition and hospitality.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the knowledge and practices of nursing staff caring for patients with dysphagia to determine any needs for further education programmes.

A self-administered questionnaire with close-ended questions was completed by nurses at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia to measure the depth of their dysphagia knowledge.

From 316 potential participants, a sample of 174 nurses completed the questionnaire. The results revealed that the participants had partial theoretical and practical knowledge about nursing care for patients with dysphagia. Of interest, 78 per cent of the nurses reported that they had received less than 1 h of training in dysphagia, and only 4 per cent were aware of speech and language pathologists’ role in dysphagia management.

As the medical professionals who have the most contact with the patients, nurses have a central role in the care of patients with dysphagia. This study provides information that will guide strategies for in-service nurse education dysphagia programmes.

The estimated Saudi prevalence of dysphagia is high due to increased incidence of medical conditions commonly associated with dysphagia, such as stroke, cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents. Nurses play a pivotal role in caring for these patients. However, little is known about the level of care patients with dysphagia require in Saudi hospital settings.

The purpose of this paper is to survey current nutrition/foodservice‐related healthcare professionals to determine their level of knowledge about dysphagia, and their perceptions of dysphagic patients and their needs.

A data collection instrument in the form of a questionnaire was developed to obtain an idea of the perceptions and knowledge‐level of diet/foodservice‐related healthcare workers about dysphagia. Subjects included foodservice workers, including food preparers and food deliverers at a large healthcare facility in the Southwestern United States. A total sample size of n=51 surveys was collected and analyzed.

Given the means from this sample group, healthcare foodservice workers are lacking in some areas of knowledge concerning dysphagia patients, and their dietary needs. Education and training seem indicated, as the number of patients suffering from some degree of dysphagia is only going to increase as the US population ages.

Millions of Americans currently suffer from at least some degree of dysphagia. This number is expected to increase as the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age. The USA will be populated by more elderly people than ever before, and will thus host more individuals suffering from swallowing impairment. This paper adds insights to the subject.

The important role of comprehensive assessment in recognising the need for and organising often complex care regimes for individual older people is widely accepted. However, the process of carrying out such assessments continues to present challenges to those involved, as it frequently requires people to work in different settings and across professional and agency boundaries. This paper explores the situation in the light of current working practice and policy directives. More work will be needed if small‐scale examples of good practice are to be applied across whole systems.

Early literacy and numeracy development among children may be the best measure of a child's well-being. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of child factors, quality of care and household factors, and community factors in early childhood on the development of literacy and numeracy skills of children in Bangladesh.

For this study, the authors used data from Bangladesh's 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. The association between response variables and selected covariates was examined using the chi-square test. To determine the risk factors for early child literacy and numeracy development, the authors applied two-level logistic regression models.

Among the total of under five children (n = 9,449), in general, 29.1% of the children were growing in the development early childhood literacy and numeracy in Bangladesh. Children (36–47 months), male children, children with moderate stunting, children with severe and moderate underweight status, mothers without education and primary education, and mothers from the poorest, poorer, middle and richer households were less likely than their counterparts to develop children's early literacy and numeracy skills. In contrast, women from the eastern and central regions, children who read at least 3 books, and early childhood education had higher odds of children's literacy and numeracy skills development than their counterparts.

The results from this study suggest that children's, community, quality of care and household level significant factors should be considered when trying to improve children's literacy and numeracy skills development in Bangladesh.