Feeding Therapy
What to Expect
Our relationship starts with a free 15-minute phone consultation.
We’ll then complete an hour-long evaluation in your home to assess skills using standardized assessments and clinical observations.
Following that, the therapist will share results and treatment strategies in a 50-minute parent conference.
Finally, as appropriate, we will schedule 50-minute therapy sessions to address any identified areas for improvement.
What Treatment Looks Like
During a 50-minute treatment session, the therapist will ready your child for eating, address muscle issues or other barriers, and finally explore new foods in a systematic way. The therapist will work with you before the session to plan the exploration menu. The therapist safely engages in food explorations at the same time your child does to make the experience less stressful and more natural. We may play or build with foods and get to know the food more by using our 5 senses! Your participation in sessions is encouraged to empower you to incorporate new skills into the weekly routine. After the session, the therapist will carefully document and chart your child’s progress.
Skills to Improve
Caregiver Training: learning how to decrease pressure and stress at mealtime with changes in food presentation
Food Preparation: finding ways to engage in cooking activities at any age
Oral Motor Control: strengthening the muscles of the mouth and improving the ability to move foods around the mouth comfortably
Mealtime “Hygiene:” setting up the best posture, table set up, and preparatory work for eating
Sensory Processing and Modulation: regulating arousal levels for the multi-sensory experience of food
Understanding the Body: gaining an understanding of how our bodies work and why certain foods are essential to this functioning
Kids with the Following Diagnoses May Benefit
Our team has experience with each listed.
Allergies
Asthma
Anxiety/OCD
Attention Deficits
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Chromosomal Abnormalities
Down Syndrome/Trisomy 21
Failure to Thrive
Feeding Difficulties & Dysfunction
Genetic Disorders
Hypotonia
Mitochondrial Disorders
Neurological Diagnosis
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Prenatal Drug Exposure
Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory Modulation Disorder