Brief Hospitalization for the Behavioral Treatment of Feeding Problems in the Developmentally Disabled

The use of short-term hospitalization for the treatment of long-standing feeding problems in developmentally disabled children is described. Two cases are presented in which a physically handicapped and a severely retarded child were taught to accept new foods and textures through the use of applied behavior analysis techniques. Hospitalization provided the controlled setting necessary to accomplish the training as rapidly as possible and allowed for parent training so that the procedures could be maintained at home. Criteria for determining need for hospitalization versus treatment as an outpatient are presented.