Feeding

Feeding therapy is more than just “teaching a child to eat.” Therapists work closely with patients, their families and other professionals to determine the source of the child’s feeding difficulties and develop individualized treatment plans to make mealtimes more successful. The feeding team evaluates the child’s feeding skills and sensory preferences. Cultural factors that may impact treatment are also taken into consideration, and the feeding team works with the family to develop a comprehensive plan moving forward. The frequency and duration of therapy depends upon each child’s needs. To take a virtual tour, please visit our gallery.

If your child is experiencing any of the following behaviors below, they may benefit from receiving a feeding evaluation.

Choking	Messy eater
Difficulty swallowing	Tongue ties
Trouble chewing	Cleft palate/Cleft lip
Throw tantrums or refuses to eat	Constantly coughing or gagging
Frequently vomits after eating or drinking	Difficulty breathing/nasal reflux
Needs assistance transitioning from tube feeding to oral feeding	Unable to gain weight due to limited food intake
Unable to feed themselves due to developmental delays	Known as a "picky eater" due to a limited/restricted diet
Sensory issues (i.e. color, shape, texture, smell, taste and consistency)