Feeding Matters is proud to celebrate the 6th annual PFD Awareness Month, which is recognized around the globe. This designation, initiated by Feeding Matters in 2019, highlights the medical, emotional, financial, educational, and social challenges faced by families impacted by dealing with PFD.

PHOENIX, April 30, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Feeding Matters is proud to celebrate the 6th annual PFD Awareness Month, which is recognized around the globe. This designation, initiated by Feeding Matters in 2019, highlights the medical, emotional, financial, educational, and social challenges faced by families impacted by dealing with PFD.

In recognition of Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD), Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has formally reaffirmed May 2024 as PFD Awareness Month. Pediatric Feeding Disorder is a condition which affects more than one in 37 children under five in the US alone.

PFD is defined as impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate, associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skill, and/or psychosocial dysfunction, making it a standalone medical condition. Families navigating PFD face numerous obstacles including a lack of evidence-based data, the condition's diverse and often misunderstood nature, and the intense emotional and physical demands of feeding their children.

This year, Feeding Matters is honored to collaborate with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), who both support feeding specialists, to strengthen our urgent call to raise awareness for PFD.

Feeding Matters is excited to announce the continuation of their pivotal awareness month campaign which includes multiple opportunities to get involved, such as fundraising on behalf of Feeding Matters, purchasing custom-designed awareness merch, learning about PFD through shared stories, supporting the cause through sponsorship, and most importantly sharing on social media. Feeding experts from our partners ASHA and AOTA will be available to answer questions the media might have to educate consumers about PFD.

● Call it PFD Fundraising Campaign: Join the Call it PFD fundraising campaign by creating your own fundraising page (link) and encouraging your friends and family to donate. It's easy to become a Champion from your very own home! Call it PFD
● Buy a PFD Awareness Month shirt or other merch. Post a photo wearing your shirt with the tag #CallItPFD to your social media.
● Learn about PFD. Read about the power of a diagnosis in these PFD Stories or share your own
● Call it PFD sponsorship at the: "Feed the Cause: An Arizona Signature Event Supporting Pediatric Feeding Disorder," scheduled for November 7, 2024, at Papago Golf Club.

"Raising awareness about Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) goes beyond mere recognition—it is a critical step to drastically improve health outcomes for children," said Jaclyn Pederson, CEO of Feeding Matters. "By designating May as Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Month, we not only highlight this underrecognized condition but also facilitate equitable access to essential early interventions. Our goal is to make PFD a household name by 2026, similar to the widespread awareness of autism as our histories are very similar. This will ensure that every child affected can be identified early and receive comprehensive care. The journey of managing PFD involves intense emotional and physical challenges for entire families, with every meal and every bite representing a significant hurdle. It's imperative that these families no longer suffer in silence. By increasing the visibility of PFD, we allow these families to be seen and supported, emphasizing the necessity of widespread awareness to foster understanding and provide much-needed relief," concluded Pederson.

To learn more about pediatric feeding disorder and the work of Feeding Matters, visit the website where you can find:
● The simple Feeding Matters Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire, which may help target areas of concern for families and physicians
● Resources and Support, made available for families, caretakers and members of the medical community
● Information and registration for our 11th Annual International PFD conference, Join over 1,000 learners across the world who are learning together about PFD, live April 24-26, 2024 and available on-demand through May 28, 2024.

About Feeding Matters
For kids with pediatric feeding disorder (PFD), every bite of food can be painful, scary, or simply impossible to swallow, potentially impeding nutrition, development, growth, and overall well-being. Yet, there is no functional system of care for PFD locally, nationally, or internationally. That's why Feeding Matters is dedicated to creating a world where children with pediatric feeding disorder will thrive. Established in 2006, Feeding Matters is the first organization in the world uniting the concerns of families with the field's leading advocates, experts, and allied healthcare professionals to ignite unprecedented change to the system of care through advocacy, education, support, and research – including a stand-alone diagnosis, the International Pediatric Feeding Disorder Conference, and the Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire. In 2021, Feeding Matters reached nearly 200,000 individuals in 50 states and 143 countries through their programs and website. To learn more about pediatric feeding disorder, visit feedingmatters.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube at @FeedingMatters.

About AOTA
Founded in 1917, AOTA represents the professional interests and concerns of approximately 230,000 occupational therapists, assistants, and students nationwide. The Association educates the public and advances the profession of occupational therapy by providing resources, setting standards including accreditations, and serving as an advocate to improve health care. Based in Bethesda, Md., AOTA's major programs and activities are directed toward promoting the professional development of its members and assuring consumer access to quality services so patients can maximize their individual potential.

About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 234,000 members, certificate holders, and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology assistants; and students. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) identify, assess, and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders. http://www.asha.org

Media Contacts:
Stephanie Sanstead
Public Relations
stephanie@communicadenceco.com 
602-476-9997

Jaclyn Pederson, MHI
Chief Executive Officer
Feeding Matters
jpederson@feedingmatters.org 
602.690.6680

Media Contact

Stephanie Sanstead, Feeding Matters, 602-476-9997, stephanie@communicadenceco.com, https://www.feedingmatters.org/ 

Jaclyn Pederson, CEO, Feeding Matters, 602.690.6680, jpederson@feedingmatters.org, https://www.feedingmatters.org/ 

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SOURCE Feeding Matters