Pediatric feeding disorder impacts millions of children worldwide each year, yet often families’ concerns are not heard. Feeding Matters works year-round to raise awareness, support families, empower professionals and advance the system of care for PFD. For PFD Awareness Month, we ask the community to help lift up this issue and raise the profile of PFD. No Family should feel alone.
In December 2020, Gov. Doug Ducey in Arizona, Gov. Tony Evers in Wisconsin, Gov. Henry McMaster in South Carolina, and Gov. Ron DeSantis proclaimed that December 2020 be observed as PFD Awareness Month. Click here to see the PFD Awareness Month Report. To gain greater impact, PFD Awareness Month will be moving to May in 2021.
PFD Awareness Month Proclamations
Click on an approved state on the map above to see their proclamation (or see the list below)
Proclamation Approved
Proclamation Pending
Approved States
- North Carolina - See Proclamation
- Massachusetts - See Proclamation
- Pennsylvania - See Proclamation
- Maryland - See Proclamation
- Michigan - See Proclamation
- Washington - See Proclamation
- North Dakota - See Proclamation
- Illinois - See Proclamation
- Wisconsin - See Proclamation
Pending States
- Florida
- South Carolina
- New York
- Arizona
- Minnesota
Help us celebrate other related May awareness opportunities
Better Hearing & Speech Month
The American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA) founded and designated May as national
Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM) in 1927. This time-honored tradition is an opportunity to raise awareness about communication disorders and available treatment options that can improve the quality of life for those who experience problems speaking or hearing. Prevalence of speech and language disorders as well as pediatric feeding disorder are all among the most common conditions that young children experience. Unfortunately, the misunderstanding or lack of knowledge in each of these areas often result in a delayed diagnosis of a disorder that is highly treatable—particularly when caught early. All of these issues are often dismissed, confused, untreated or misdiagnosed. It is important to raise awareness about PFD and BHSM together as so many of our feeding therapists are also Speech-Language Pathologists and feeding and speech are interrelated.
Food Allergy Awareness Week
Over 5.6 million children have life-threatening food allergies. Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 9-15) serves as an opportunity to raise awareness of food allergies while also bringing the food allergy community together.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. During May, National Alliance on Mental Illness joins the national movement to raise awareness about mental health. For 2021’s Mental Health Awareness Month NAMI will continue to amplify the message of “You Are Not Alone.”
References for PFD Awareness Month and Social Media Toolkit:
- Goday PS, Huh SY, Silverman A, Lukens CT, Dodrill P, Cohen SS, Delaney AL, Feuling MB, Noel RJ, Gisel E, Kenzer A, Kessler DB, de Camargo OK, Browne J, Phalen JA. Pediatric feeding disorder: consensus definition and conceptual framework. JPGN 2019;68(1):124-129.
- Kovacic K, Rein, ScM LE, Bhagavatula P, Kommareddy S, Szabo A, Goday PS, Pediatric Feeding Disorder: A Nationwide Prevalence Study, The Journal of Pediatrics (2020), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.07.047
- Bass, N.H. and Morrell, R.M. The neurology of swallowing. In: M.E. Groher (Ed.), Dysphagia, Diagnosis and Management. Butterworth–Heinemann, Boston, MA, 1992, pp. 1–29.
- Manikam R, Perman JA. Pediatric feeding disorders. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2000;30(1):34-46. Reau NR, Senturia YD, Lebailly SA, Christoffel KK. Infant and toddler feeding patterns and problems: normative data and a new direction. Pediatric Practice Research Group. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 1996;17(3):149-153.