Hospital, infants and feeding: The importance of audit

Aim Infant feeding can be the reason for presentation and/or admission to hospital. The aim of this study was to identify if infant feeding history was documented in charts of infants presenting and/or admitted to a paediatric hospital. Methods A systematic random sample of hospital charts of infants who had presented to the emergency department between 1 J uly 2011 and 30 J une 2012 was audited for presence of documentation of feeding. Results In total, 465 charts were audited, representing 12.5% of infants who presented to the emergency department in the year. Frequency of documentation for feeding measures was as follows: feeding mode, 263 (57%); feeding type, 228 (49%); feeding frequency, 119 (26%); and with changes 89 (19%) since birth. Increasing infant age was significantly associated with less frequent recording of feeding mode, type, frequency and changes. Conclusion A comprehensive feeding history is not recorded on many occasions of infant presentation and/or admission to hospital. The recording of feeding mode, type, frequency and changes is needed in order to explore the existence, or otherwise, of a relationship between feeding and the reason for presentation and/or admission.