Parent-reported ease of eating foods of different textures in young children with Down syndrome.

Food texture has been identified as a significant contributor to feeding problems in children, particularly in children with Down syndrome (DS). This study examined the open-ended survey responses of parents describing which food textures were "easy" or "difficult" for their child with DS. The open-ended responses from the parents about textures and foods they considered "easy" or "difficult" for their child (n = 157) were coded into 26 texture categories. Chewy and firm were more frequently listed as "difficult" textures by parents. Textures found to be cited more frequently as "easy" textures included creamy, crispy/crunchy, dissolvable, mushy, puree, smooth, and soft. Age influenced the citation of specific textures. As age increased, crispy/crunchy, dry, and hard were more likely to be listed as "easy" while lumpy, mushy, and gooey/soggy/wet were less likely be listed as "easy." For "difficult" textures, as age increased, juicy was more likely to be listed as "difficult" while the textures of creamy, dry, lumpy, and tender were less likely to be "difficult." While this research provides information as to the food textures children with DS find "easy" or "difficult," further research is needed to better understand how to expand the variety of textures in the diets of children with DS.