What to Expect

Your clinician will conduct the following tasks*:

• Provide guidelines on how to navigate safety and connectivity challenges during the consultation
• A thorough case history discussion including reviewing any information provided in the intake forms
• Observation of your child’s positioning
• Developmental screening(for new clients)
• An oral sensorimotor assessment whereby the client’s oral musculature structure and function will be examined
• Pre-feeding observation (including a parent-child interaction observation)
• Observe a fluid trial/s
• Observe food trials
• An oral trial of their food and fluids
• Discussion of findings and recommendations at the end of the consultation.

If requested and paid for, you will receive your paediatric feeding assessment report approximately 4 – 6 weeks after your assessment.

*The above mentioned tasks are adapted from Raatz et al (2021) ‘Telepractice Assessment Form’ checklist.

What needs to be sent to your clinician BEFORE the consult

• Completed feeding questionnaires (sent via booking confirmation email)
• The Telehealth consent form (sent via booking confirmation email)
• A video of your child eating and drinking.

The Credit Card Authority form (sent via booking confirmation email and can be accessed here) to allow payment to be taken. If you do not want to use this system, you can call the clinic directly to make payment. Payment must be received by HDST no later than two days before the assessment. If payment has not been received, the assessment will not go ahead and you will need to reschedule the assessment.

What to prepare

• A computer and camera with good internet connection
• The intake questionnaire, the EAT-10, the RSI and the CETI (sent via booking confirmation email)
• A list of medications
• Any relevant health professional reports (e.g. dietitian, occupational therapist)
• Any recent hospital discharge reports
• Any previous Speech Pathology reports
• A sample of normal foods, covering a variety of textures:
  • Puree (e.g. jelly, yoghurt)
  • Soft (e.g. pasta, sandwich)
  • Hard (e.g. biscuit, apple)
  • Transitional solids (e.g. wafers)
  • Fluids (e.g. water, coffee)

N.B: If the client is not permitted any of the above textures, then the carer will be advised on their use by the assessing clinician.

How to Use Zoom (online videoconferencing platform)