Feeding & Swallowing
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Our feeding specialist provides evidence-based feeding therapy for children experiencing challenges
related to picky eating and food refusal, sensory issues, infant and bottle feeding, and transitioning from tube feedings. Whether your child's needs are sensory, motor, or behavioral, our highly personalized approach to treatment will help your family achieve mealtime and feeding success.
We work with children with different abilities, needs, and diagnoses including, but not limited to, those listed below. We believe in treating the child, not the disorder, so our therapy is always tailored to the unique needs of your child.
Picky Eating & Food Refusal • Sensory Challenges • Behavioral Feeding Challenges
Dysphagia • Oral Motor Weakness • Bottle-Feeding Difficulty • Poor Weight Gain
Weaning from Tube Feedings • Transitioning to Oral Feeding • Craniofacial Differences
High-Risk Infants • Down Syndrome • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Tongue- and/or Lip Ties
Evaluations
We begin services with an evaluation to identify the underlying causes of the feeding-related challenges your child is experiencing. During the evaluation process, we review medical and developmental history, examine the structure and function or oral-facial mechanism, and observe your child while eating (when appropriate, we will also trial non-preferred foods). We will also try different treatment techniques to guide our recommendations. Results will be shared with the family, and together we will create a treatment plan.
Treatment plans incorporate individualized goals directed towards improving feeding function for the infant or child as well as strategies to improve overall family mealtime and incorporate family goals and expectations.
Our Therapy Approach
Using evidence-based strategies and a whole-child approach to promote positive and safe feeding experiences while minimizing mealtime stress or food refusal. Feeding therapy is a collaborative process that also includes parent education, training, and participation as well as home programs to facilitate carryover.
Our feeding specialist has advanced training in the following areas:
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Neonatal and pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders
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Orofacial myology
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TOTs (tethered oral tissue/tongue tie) training
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Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding
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Oral Defensiveness and aversion
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Positive mealtime behavior
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Sensory vs. behavioral difficulties
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Infants with craniofacial differences
We also work with families to help manage feeding and swallowing disorders when your child is at daycare or in school.
Is your child struggling or experiencing difficulty with feeding or swallowing?
We can help! We offer personalized feeding & swallowing therapy to support safe, effective, and positive feeding experiences.
Increase comfort level by exploring & learning about sensory properties of food
Promote positive food interaction & exposure by touching & smelling
Strategies to implement feeding schedules & mealtime routines
Promote positive mealtime behavior through consistent positive language & choice making
Exercises to improve strength & coordination of the tongue & oral structure
Exercises to develop a more mature swallowing pattern
Develop age-appropriate feeding & drinking skills
Reduce oral defensiveness & oral aversion
Develop oral feeding skills & improve oral intake
