Let's E.A.T.! (Eating With Assistive Technology): An Intervention to Support Children With Feeding Tubes and Tracheostomies (NCT06525818)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
The overall objective of this proposal is to test an interdisciplinary intervention to support the transition to oral feeding for children with feeding tubes and tracheostomies. The investigators' model which combines in-home clinical assessments with virtual therapies may maximize the impact of expert interventionists. The investigators' central hypothesis is that children with feeding tubes and tracheostomies will have greater success than a control group when enrolled in a hybrid in-person/virtual intervention including: (1) a coordinated feeding team with an occupational therapist, speech/language pathologist, and registered dietitian; (2) family liaison study coordinators who are poised to support the family through personal experience; (3) a project leader who is a Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician with expertise in children with tracheostomies. The overall objective of this proposal is to test this intervention to increase oral feeding in children with feeding tubes and tracheostomies. To pursue this objective, the investigators propose the following aims: Specific Aim 1: Children enrolled in the intervention group will have improved caregiver self-efficacy and reduced worry related to feeding as determined by The Feeding and Swallowing Impact Survey at the end of a 1-year intervention. Specific Aim 2: Children enrolled in the intervention group will have increased oral vs. tube-fed calories and reduced dependence on feeding tubes as determined by detailed dietary histories and The Children's Eating and Drinking Activity Scale (CEDAS) at the end of a 1-year intervention. The investigators' intervention will determine if a tertiary center of expertise can use a combination of home assessments and virtual interventions to address critical feeding needs for children with tracheostomies. Future clinicians could refer patients to the investigators' center instead of relying on community therapists, who rarely exist. The weekly feeding group sessions as well as the administration of the therapies in a virtual format are research-related. While the therapy techniques implemented during the study are standard of care and within the practice parameters of the practitioners involved, the use of them in a virtual format are novel and should be considered research-related.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois
Age range: Not specified to 3 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
- Tube weaning therapy intervention (OTHER)
- Feeding Group (OTHER)
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (773) 702-6461
Email: elynch1@bsd.uchicago.edu
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
Explore by condition: All Feeding Tube clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.