Trends in Inpatient Health Care Utilization for Children with Feeding Difficulties.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate national trends in admissions, length of stay (LOS), and charges for children with feeding difficulties.

STUDY

DESIGN

Serial, cross-sectional analysis using the Kids' Inpatient Database from 2009-2022. Feeding difficulties were identified using diagnostic codes. Outcomes included the proportion of hospitalizations associated with feeding difficulties, LOS, and charges. Temporal trends and group effects were examined using multivariable logistic or linear regression adjusting for patient and hospital factors.

RESULTS

Children with feeding difficulties accounted for an estimated 649 017 hospitalizations nationally, representing 4.89% of all hospitalizations (3.4% in 2009 vs 6.1% in 2022, P < .001). Mean LOS increased from 10.49 to 14.52 days and mean charges from $98,223 to $192,287; time was independently associated with both outcomes on multivariable regression (P < .001 for both). LOS and charges were approximately threefold higher in children with vs without feeding difficulties, and patient group was independently associated with both outcomes on multivariable regression (P < .001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

In children with feeding difficulties, LOS and charges increased over time and were significantly higher than in children without feeding difficulties. Future research should include efforts to reduce inpatient health care burden in this population.