The Global Mealtime Guide

The Global Mealtime Guide (GMG) is a culturally sensitive resource for Paediatric Feeding. It is a visual aid for clients and clinicians that has been developed to address some of the communication barriers between culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) clients and speech pathologists in therapy sessions.

Why was it developed?

The resource was developed in response to comments by the Paediatric Feeding Team at Western Health, who work with families from many CALD groups. As a result of the various language and cultural differences they see within their client base, the team identified a need to create a resource which could assist them to understand the types of foods eaten by their clients, as well as provide a visual resource when discussing food types, consistencies and textures with CALD families.

The resource aims to:

  • Develop the clinician’s understanding about their client’s culture and particular food types.
  • Assist clinicians to build rapport with CALD families from various cultural groups.
  • Decrease the time spent discussing the different food types/textures.
  • Reduce the miscommunication about food types, consistencies and textures between client and clinician, therefore reducing the possibility of incorrect intervention for client.
  • Reduce dependence on verbal communication and understanding with CALD families by utilising visual aids.

What is included?

The GMG is presented as a flipbook, divided into cultural sections. Each section focuses on the foods that are commonly fed to infants in that culture. Three pictures of each food are provided to illustrate various consistencies that are relevant for treatment. These pictures may be used to:

  • Assist the client to describe the texture/ consistency of foods eaten at home. (i.e. the client can point to the picture that most represents the way they serve the food to their child at home).
  • Assist the clinician to describe textures/ consistencies when modifying a client’s diet. (i.e. the clinician can point to the picture that most represents the proposed modification to the clients diet).

In most cases these consistencies pictured are “Puree”, “Mashed/Lumpy” and “Whole Solids” (see below for example). Common “Liquids” and “Fruit and vegetables” sections are also included for use with all cultures. 

Downloads

The cultures included in the resource are: Australian, Burmese (Myanmar), Ethiopian, Indian, South Sudanese and Vietnamese.

A handout specific to each culture is included in the resource for clinicians. This handout provides the clinician with relevant culturally-aware information identifying with each culture, their background, beliefs, practices, and any other relevant information prior to the use of the resource in a therapy session. Examples of these handouts are included below.

Downloads

Acknowledgements

This project has been developed as a 4th Year Speech Pathology Project at La Trobe University by Georgia Burn, Emma Goldsworthy, Sarah Jennings, Grace Kircher, Andrea Leifer and Laura Schwab.

Under the supervision of:

Rachel Smith (Western Health) and Justine Slattery (La Trobe University).

The project has been developed in conjunction with the Western Health Speech Pathology Team and La Trobe University.

For more information

If you would like more information about this project please contact:

Justine Slattery
Lecturer/ Speech Pathologist
Department of Human Communication Sciences
La Trobe University
Bundoora
Email: j.slattery@latrobe.edu.au

Rachel Smith
Speech Pathologist
Western Health
Womens and Childrens Allied Health Service
Furlong Road, St Albans, 3021
Email: rachel.smith@wh.org.au