Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Feeding Disorders in Children

The Norwegian National Advisory Unit is responsible for securing national competence building and distribution of such competencies on childhood feeding disorders.
The goal of the advisory unit is to promote local teams and build up expertise in all health regions, based on existing knowledge. The advisory unit will build up and spread expertise in optimizing eating development in children with feeding difficulties.

Feeding disorders in Children
The term "Feeding disorders in children" include children with chronic and severe disruptions in their relationship with food. Many children with feeding disorders struggle to gain weight from eating too little. Many of these children are dependent on tube feeding. Some children have problems with accepting textures appropriate for age. Other children consume enough calories, but will only eat an extremely narrow range of foods. Avoiding and/or restricting food intake can negatively affect a child's physical, social and psychological well-being.

Goals
The advisory unit is aimed to be a national source of the most updated knowledge of feeding disorders in children. We work at both health professionals and other professionals working with the habilitation of children in primary and specialist health services, users and families We wish that all children with challenges in feeding development and feeding disorders should meet a qualified interdisciplinary team that can provide evidence-based investigations and treatments.

Multidisciplinary approach
The etiology of feeding disorders is complex and multifactorial, requiring the expertise of providers across several disciplines. Our multidisciplinary feeding team includes dietitians, physicians, nurse, speech-language pathologist, psychologist and special educator.

Collaborators and networks
Through regular training courses and close collaboration with existing feeding teams, we aim to increase health professionals' competence and skills in meeting children with feeding disorders, and their parents. 

Since 2009, the Nordic conference has been arranged every other year (odd years). The conference has been held in Oslo, Uppsala, Copenhagen, Reykjavík, Helsinki and it is going to be held in Stockholm in 2021. On even years, we arrange a national conference.

Collaborators:
Feeding teams at Oslo University Hospital, Norway
Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine (BAR), Oslo University hospital
Feeding teams at other Norwegian hospitals
Knappenforeningen (www.knappenforeningen.no), a non-profit organization founded and run by parents of children with feeding difficulties.

 
Contact information:
Head of section: Nafis Iqbal (Paediatrician)
Oslo University Hospital HF; Rikshospitalet; PO box 4950 Nydalen; 0424 Oslo, Norway
E-post: postmottak@ous-hf.no