Pediatric dysphagia is defined as a disorder of the swallowing sequence that results in difficulties compromising the safety, efficiency, or adequacy of nutritional intake in children [1–3]. Moreov...

Introduction: Assessing pediatric feeding disorders (PFD) is essential for a child’s development to prevent severe consequences. The assessment procedures for PFD may include parents’ questionnaires such as the Montreal Children’s Hospital Feeding Scale (MCH-FS). The aim of this study was the cross-cultural adaptation of the MCH-FS to the Greek language. Methods: One hundred parents of Greek Cypriot children with PFD (clinical group) and 100 parents of healthy Greek Cypriot children (control group) aged 6 months to 16 years old participated in the study and completed the MCH-FS. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines were implemented for translation and cultural adaptation. Results: The internal consistency was excellent, α = 0.85 (ICC: 0.817–0.891). Content validity was significant (S-CVI = 1) with an agreement equal to 14. A strong and significant correlation of MCH-FS was computed according to principal component analysis (14 items ranging between −0.6 and 0.7). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin factor analysis was equal to 0.91 with substantial correlations (Bartlett’s test = 0.001, 654,804). The MCH-FS cut-off point between the two groups was 38.00 (AUC: 0.901 [95% CI: 0.859–0.942], p < 0.001; sensitivity = 0.800 and 1-specificity = 0.630). A statistically significant difference between the two groups was observed for the MCH-FS total score, with the clinical group scoring higher (U = 992.00, p < 0.001). Likewise, the same differences were observed among children with different PFD, H (3) = 96.715, p < 0.001. Conclusion: The MCH-FS had good psychometric properties in its current form in Greek. It is suggested that the MCH-FS can be used as a valid tool for children with PFD in the Greek Cypriot population.

Indications of the communicative abilities of the Rett Syndrome (RTT) are distinct with impending speech-language and communication abilities; thus, assessment is challenging. This review aims to support the clinical work of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) while assessing the communication aptitudes of children with RTT. Adequate consideration should be given to their nonverbal skills since they can demonstrate suitable forms and functions in communication development. During this outlined assessment procedure, attention is drawn to medical and developmental history, informal and formal speech-language evaluation, and analysis of aided language samples while setting up intervention therapy objectives. The assessment procedure in this review describes current principles and methods for nonbiased, appropriate evaluation while providing a beneficial and suitable protocol for the comprehensive communication assessment of RTT.

Feeding is an interactive process between parents and children and is related to children’s healthy nutrition, growth, and feelings about the child or parent. The effectiveness of the interaction between feeding and behaviour is strongly influenced by how well this reciprocal procedure is stimulated and supported. The current study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and validate the About Your Child’s Eating (AYCE) questionnaire in its Greek language version for Greek-Cypriot parents and caregivers of children aged six months to 16 years with or without feeding and swallowing problems. One hundred Greek-Cypriot parents/caregivers of children with feeding and swallowing difficulties and 100 Greek-Cypriot parents/caregivers of children without feeding and swallowing difficulties participated in this study. This study was conducted at mainstream schools and private speech-language therapy clinics in Cyprus. According to WHO, the AYCE questionnaire was translated and culturally tailored for Greek speakers. The analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the AYCE total mean scores of parents in the Typical Development of Feeding Behaviors group (c-TDFB) (M = 44.03, SD = 11.18) and parents in the Atypical Development of Feeding Behaviors group (c-ADFB) (M = 63.56, SD: 16.22) (P < 0.001), with c-ADFB scoring significantly higher. The overall evaluation of the scale yielded a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.916. The validity of the AYCE questionnaire in Cyprus was also assessed. The findings demonstrate that the AYCE can be a beneficial tool for determining critical facets of the feeding parent–child interaction for preschool- and school-aged Greek-Cypriot children in Cyprus.

Objectives: Inappropriate mealtime procedures can complicate a child’s feeding process and lead to behavioral issues, emphasizing the importance of parents’ perceptions of their child’s feeding behaviors. This study aimed to translate and validate the Mealtime Behavior Questionnaire (MBQ) into Greek and examine the mealtime behaviors of Greek Cypriot children and families. Methods: The sample included 200 monolingual Greek Cypriot parents. It was divided into two groups: parents ( N = 100) whose children exhibited typical mealtime behavior (tp-MBG) and parents ( N = 100) whose children displayed non-typical mealtime behavior (ntp-MBG). They were selected from Cypriot public and special public schools, and speech-language clinics. The children’s parents completed the MBQ questionnaire, which was re-administered in 10 days. Results: MBQ-GR showed good discrimination between the tp-MBG and ntp-MBG groups [ t (198) = 10.810, p 0.001]. It had high internal consistency [Cronbach’s α = 0.944], very good test-retest reliability (ICC= 0.933 [95%, CI: 0.918–0.946]), and external criterion validity ( r = 0.820, p 0.001). MBQ cutoff was equal to 57.00 [sensitivity of 0.660 and 1-specificity of 0.07-AUC 0.870, (95% CI: 0.822–0.918), p 0.001]. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the four factors originally suggested, using a robust weighted least squares estimator with mean and variance adjustments, accounting for the data’s ordinal and highly skewed characteristics. The resulting estimates suggested a very good fit of the data to the CFA model. Conclusions: MBQ-GR has great reliability and validity and can be utilized to evaluate preliminary feeding behavioral issues related to feeding challenges in children of Greek-Cypriot cultural background.

Feeding and swallowing disorders (FSDs) are common in both typically developing children and those with complex medical or developmental needs, leading to health issues and significant strain on parents/caregivers. This study aimed to translate and adapt the Feeding and Swallowing Impact Survey into Greek, providing a validated tool to assess the impact of these disorders on caregivers’ quality of life. The study group included 92 parents and caregivers of children with FSDs, whereas the control group consisted of 90 parents/caregivers of typically developing children. Participants completed the Greek‐translated survey twice over a 10‐day period, with clinical data collected from medical records. The Greek version of the survey demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.939) and strong test–retest reliability (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.924–0.986). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the instrument's validity, with comparative fit index = 0.837, Tucker–Lewis's index = 0.811 and root mean square error of approximation = 0.146. The Greek version successfully distinguished between the study and control groups, as well as different types of FSDs. These findings confirm that the Greek‐translated and adapted survey is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the impact of FSDs on caregivers’ quality of life.