Feeding Therapy

“TherapyWorks has been our saving grace. They have helped my son with his eating problems and now he is eating more textures of food and trying new things.” – Teresa, parent

Feeding therapy at TherapyWorks is centered on the child’s unique feeding needs. Our team of speech pathologists and occupational therapists address feeding difficulties in children from birth to teenage years. We have found that a multidisciplinary approach, which includes all members of a child’s medical and support team, is the best way to address feeding difficulties.  We primarily use the SOS Approach to Feeding, which looks at sensory, motor, oral behavioral/learning, medical, and nutritional factors to evaluate and treat feeding problems. Our trained therapists provide both group and individual therapy using this approach, making TherapyWorks an ongoing center for feeding therapy.

WHAT WE HELP WITH

Toddlers:

  • Inability to transition to baby food purees by 10 months of age
  • Inability to accept table food solids by 12 months
  • Inability to transition from breast/bottle to a cup by 16 months of age
  • Has not weaned off baby foods by 16 months

Children

  • Persistently reported by parent as a “picky eater” at well-child check-ups
  • Frequently eats a different set of foods at a meal than other family members
  • History of a traumatic choking incident
  • Aversion or avoidance of all foods in specific texture or nutrition group
  • Food range of fewer than 20 foods

Complex feeding needs:

  • Oral pairings with tube dependence
  • Tube weaning with collaboration of GI
  • History of aspiration
  • History of a traumatic choking incident
  • Aversion or avoidance of all foods in specific texture or nutrition group
  • Food range of fewer than 20 foods

Red flags to talk to your doctor at any age: 

  • Restricted range or variety of foods usually eats less than 20 foods
  • Refuses entire categories of food textures or nutrition groups
  • Cries, screams, or “falls apart” when new foods are presented; complete refusal
  • Foods lost due to “burn out” from food jagging
  • History of eating and breathing coordination problems, with ongoing respiratory issues
  • Ongoing poor weight gain or weight loss
  • Ongoing choking, gagging, or coughing during meals
  • Ongoing problems with vomiting
  • Signs and symptoms of reflux
  • Family stress with feeding

WHAT TO EXPECT 

Our specially trained trans-disciplinary feeding team conducts several types of feeding assessments, which are used to evaluate children and adolescents with feeding, weight, and growth difficulties.

Assessment makes sure that all physical and sensory reasons for atypical feeding development are examined and thus can be appropriately treated (including medical issues).  In addition, skills across all developmental areas are assessed as they relate to feeding.