Little is known about the impact of socio-contextual factors on children with feeding difficulties, which can affect the child and caregiver well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which financial impacts and community resources utilization are associated with feeding difficulties in young children.

Speaker Credentials
June Okada MS, CF-SLP, CLC is a speech-language pathology clinical fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital. She received her master’s degree from MGH Institute of Health Professions and is currently specializing in pediatric feeding difficulties.

Stephanie Harshman, PhD RD LD, is a research fellow in Neuroendocrinology at Mass General Hospital and a dietitian in The Center for Feeding and Nutrition at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. Dr. Harshman’s research focuses on identifying the impact of the gut microbiome and neuroendocrine signaling in pediatric feeding and eating disorders

Erin Wilson PhD is a speech-language pathologist and researcher interested in the biomechanics of speech and feeding in typically developing children and adults as well as in individuals with specific developmental disabilities and disorders including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. She is affiliated with the Speech and Feeding Disorders Lab and serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the MGH Institute.

John Wong, PhD, is Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and the Department of Occupational Therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Before coming to the Institute, he obtained his PhD from Rice University and carried out postdoctoral research at Oregon Health & Science University and Emory University. Dr. Wong’s research focuses on the development of inflammatory diseases and inflammation-mediated disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Wong also examines genetic, biological, and social factors associated with recovery from cytotoxic chemotherapy, stroke, and disorders of consciousness.

Lauren Fiechtner, MD, MPH is the Director of Nutrition in the Divisions of Gastroenterology and Nutrition and General Academic Pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and the Senior Health and Research Advisor at the Greater Boston Food Bank. Her interests include reducing nutrition related health disparities with a particular focus on childhood obesity and feeding disorders

Meg Simione, PhD CCC-SLP, is an Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, research scientist, and speech-language pathologist at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. She specializes in pediatric feeding and swallowing. Dr. Simione’s research focuses on infant and child feeding and growth, pediatric feeding disorders, and implementation science.