Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Month

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identify nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life as a critical factor to early brain growth, development of the central nervous system, and lifelong mental health; and

WHEREAS, the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition published a field-leading consensus paper defining pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) as impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate and is associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skill, and/or psychosocial dysfunction; and

WHEREAS, according to a national prevalence study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, conservative evaluations estimate that more than 1 in 37 children in the United States under the age of 5 and more than 1 in 5 children with a chronic disease experience severe PFD annually; and

WHEREAS, every bite of food for children with PFD can be painful, scary, or simply impossible to swallow, potentially impeding nutrition, development, growth, and overall well-being; and

WHEREAS, families navigating pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) often feel isolated and overwhelmed, struggling to overcome the medical, emotional, financial, educational, and social issues related to PFD; and

WHEREAS, raising awareness for pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) will help create a world in which children with PFD will thrive by accelerating identification, igniting research, and promoting collaborative care and support for children and families; and

WHEREAS, during Pediatric Feeding Month, citizens are encouraged to learn more about pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) and to support efforts to improve the system of care through advocacy, education, support, and research;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize May 2023, as PEDIATRIC FEEDING DISORDER AWARENESS MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations