FEEDING THERAPY for KIDS!
Sensory Aversions • Limited Food Inventory • Oral Motor Challenges • Selective or Restrictive Eating • Challenging Mealtime Behaviors • Breast or Bottle Feeding
For some children feeding challenges are related to the way the food looks, feels, smells, or tastes. For others, the difficulties are related to drinking from a bottle or breast, chewing food, or being able to swallow it safely. At Mission Hope Pediatric Therapy, our team of feeding specialists will work with your family and child to address their unique needs. Our goal is safe, effective, and stress-free feeding for the whole family.
FEEDING EVALUATIONS
An evaluation is recommended if your child is showing signs of a feeding disorder, such as:
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aversion to certain foods
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choking, gagging, or vomiting during feeding
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disruptive or avoidant behaviors during mealtimes
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long breast or bottle feedings times
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During the evaluation, we will gain insight into your child's eating habits, foods they will and won't eat, oral motor skills, and any physical symptoms such as gagging. The results of the evaluation, along with family values and preferences, will guide therapy and any recommendations to other specialitsts like an ENT.
SELECTIVE / RESTRICTIVE EATING & SENSORY AVERSIONS
Children who refuse certain foods, often due to texture, smell, taste, or appearance, and have a limited food inventory may benefit from feeding therapy. In a comfortable environment and guided by a speech therapist, your child will be supported through the process of exposure to new foods, ultimately leading to eating a larger variety of foods.
Parents will have an active role in our feeding therapy sessions and will be guided on ways to safely introduce new foods home.
CHALLENGING MEALTIME BEHAVIORS
Some children demonstrate challenging behaviors such as grazing, only eating snacks, needing to be entertained at mealtimes, or tantrums and other avoidant behaviors like refusing to sit at the table. Feeding therapy for these mealtime challenges will address the underlying reasons your child is having difficulty. We will also provide parent education on home programs for structured mealtimes to help your child reduce the behaviors and participate in mealtimes.
ORAL MOTOR DIFFICULTIES
Children with oral motor deficits may experience difficulty chewing, managing food in their mouths, drinking from a cup, or experiencing challenges with breast or bottle feeding. Feeding therapy can help your child increase the strength and coordination of the muscles needed for feeding. We will address the underlying cause of your child's difficulties and provide feeding therapy that will help your child learn to eat effectively and safely. Home practice is also an important part of feeding therapy.