Oral Exploration of Objects and Food Diversification

Completed

• Conditions: Infant Development
• Interventions: Other: Controls

• Registration Number: NCT05157633
• Lead Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Creteil

Brief Summary

Eating difficulties in infants and young children are defined as all the difficulties in feeding oneself in an appropriate and satisfactory manner. These disorders affect approximately 20 to 25% of infants and young children, and thus constitute one of the most frequent reasons for consultation in these age groups. Many of these children continue to be received in consultation.

Studies show that the lack of intraoral exploration in children could be associated with later difficulties in accepting different textures or new foods. Our clinical examination of sensorimotor functions shows signs of sensory hyper reactivity that are very common in children who always wipe their hands when in contact with food or sticky objects and for those who experience difficulty in brushing or grooming themselves.

In all of the publications available which includes pubmed, there is no mention of the lack of exploration of objects and the stigma of sensory hyper-responsiveness even if this latter was not entirely detailed in the descriptions made.

The trial hypothesis is that this exploration defect corresponds to early sensory hyperreactivity which also plays a deleterious role in the acceptance of new textures and new foods.

In this trial we propose a comparison study with a controlled population of children without eating difficulties as defined by the Montreal MCH score to validate a statistical link between the difficulties in food diversification beyond 18 months and the lack of exploration of the environment with 'mouthing' between 6 and 10 months.

Investigators will analyse consultation questionnaires dedicated to eating difficulties retrospectively (patients) and will compare them with questionnaires of children from daycares without eating difficulties (controls).

Detailed Description

To conduct this study the controls will be recruited from daycares and different nursery schools after agreement with the heads of establishments.

Two questionnaires along with an information note will be distributed to the parents and will be completed in a non-identifying manner, retrieved by the teachers and then sent to the principal investigator.

The questionnaires include the validated Montreal HME questionnaire which will detect the possible existence of eating difficulties and a more general questionnaire on the psychomotor development of the child (not validated because a qualitative questionnaire without a score). The collection of data will be prospective for controls.

Patients on the other hand will be recruited retrospectively from the dedicated oral consultation at the Hospital.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-09-08
• Study Start: 2021-09-15
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-12-01
• Study First Posted: 2021-12-15
• Primary Completion: 2022-04-20
• Study Completion: 2022-04-20
• Status Verified: 2022-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-06-22
• Last Update Posted: 2022-06-23

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 354

Inclusion Criteria

• For patients: Children aged between 9 months and 6 years with eating difficulties defined by the Montreal HME score> = 61.

For controls: children aged between 9 months and 6 years attending a crèche who agreed to participate in the study.

Not opposing participation in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

Exclusion of controls who have:

• an eating disorder defined by an MCH score> = 61 (score defined for the inclusion criteria)
• encephalopathy, neuro-metabolic disorder, genetic syndrome (after response to the questionnaire)

For patients and controls:

• Encephalopathies
• Neuro-metabolic disorders
• Suspected or identified genetic syndromes

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Controls	Controls	Children without eating difficulties

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of participants with a delay or lack of acquisition of oral exploration of objects.	1 day	Deferred presence or absence of the acquisition of the competence of oral exploration of objects between 6 and 10 months by a qualitative questionnaire without score not validated

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To determine if there is a link between the inability to orally explore objects and difficulties in seeing and/or touching and/or smelling certain types of food	1 day	Percentage of children with difficulty seeing and / or touching and / or smelling certain types of food and an inability to explore objects orally.
To determine if there is a link between a link between the inability to orally explore objects. And the inability to touch certain non-food textures	1 day	percentage of children with an inability to touch certain non-food textures and an inability to orally explore objects
To determine if there is a link between a link between the inability to orally explore objects and the absence of crawling in motor development.	1 day	percentage of children who orally explored the objects
To determine if there is a link between an incidence of constipation in both groups of children	1 day	percentage of children with constipation according to ROME IV criteria
To determine if there is a link between the inability to orally explore objects and the inability to touch certain non-food textures	1 day	Number of children with an inability to touch certain non-food textures and an inability to orally explore objects by a qualitative questionnaire without score not validated

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

CHU Robert Debré, 48 Bd Sérurier; 🇫🇷 Paris, France