Feeding Therapy

Feeding therapy is a specialized form of therapy. Feeding therapy is usually done by an occupational therapist or speech therapist. They are there to help your child learn how to eat or eat better. Feeding therapy can help children of all ages, infants who are having trouble breast or bottle feeding, toddlers that are overly picky, or older kids with complex feeding disorders.

Feeding therapy is usually once a week for about an hour. Your child’s pediatrician can refer you to an occupational therapist or a speech therapist if your child is showing signs of needing feeding therapy. The goal of feeding therapy is to make eating enjoyable for the whole family. It can help a child both physically easier for them to enjoy eating as well as mentally making mealtimes less stressful.

Signs & Symptoms

How do you know if your child needs feeding therapy? There are a few things you can look for or discuss with your pediatrician if you are having trouble feeding or at meal times with your little one. If your child is not gaining weight or growing. If your child is refusing to eat or drink. If they are pushing food away or not opening their mouth to feed. If your child is spitting up or throwing up a lot after eating. If your child cries, fusses, or arches their back when feeding. If your child has trouble breathing while eating or drinking. Your child has problems chewing, coughs, or gags during meals. If your child makes gurgles, breathes, or has a hoarse voice during eating can all indicate they may be in need of feeding therapy. Other reasons your child may need feeding therapy are if your child is only eating 5-10 different foods. Gagging often can be a sign. Your child should transition between liquid, purees, and solid foods between the ages of 6 months to 12 months. If your child is unable to transition to different textures of foods, feeding therapy may benefit them. If your child drools a lot or has trouble moving food around in their mouths can also indicate a need for speech therapy.

Risks

There are some conditions that may lead to your child having feeding or swallowing disorders. Being premature or having a low birthweight can cause feeding troubles. Reflux, breathing problems, cleft lip, cleft palate, muscle weakness in the face or jaw, autism, or sensory issues can all lead to feeding problems. Conditions that can affect feeding and swallowing are cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, Down’s syndrome, or meningitis.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Your pediatrician will most likely refer you to a therapist if your child is showing any signs of needing feeding therapy. The feeding therapist will first evaluate your child. During their evaluation they will determine what is the cause of the concern whether it is sensory, motor, or both. After the evaluation the therapist will be able to make a plan as to how to best help your little one. They will work with your child to explore new foods, new textures, help improve coordination with swallowing and eating, improve oral motor skills, and help your child taste new foods they wouldn’t normally.

There are few different techniques your therapist can use. Sequential-oral sensory technique is one of the main feeding therapy techniques. This allows your child to use all their senses to become comfortable with new foods. This includes seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching new foods. The therapist will encourage your child to touch the foods with their fingers and explore the foods. They will start small with maybe just a lick of a food. Another approach is the Beckman Oral Motor approach. This helps improve motor skills. This approach can help improve movement control of the lips, jaw, and tongue. Behavioral approach is another way a therapist may work with your child. This is using positive reinforcement when they do a behavior that is good or asked of the child.

Lifestyle

Parents can help at home in between sessions as well. It is important to have a mealtime routine. Eat meals at the same time every day. Eliminate distractions so your child doesn’t have sensory overload when trying to eat. This can also cut down on the time it takes your child to eat their food if they aren’t distracted by screens or toys at the table. Make mealtimes fun and relaxed at home. Children benefit from family meals altogether.

Offer a variety of foods, colors, and textures that are age appropriate for your child. Allow your child to feed themselves regardless of the mess that is bound to come along with this. Don’t overfill their plate and give small portions appropriate for your child’s age. Encourage and allow your child to help prep meals for the family. Taking ownership, and exposing them to the foods before mealtime can help them be more familiar with the foods.

Don’t force your child to eat. Kids will eat when they are hungry, don’t force them to eat at mealtimes, this can give them a negative feeling about foods. Just have a healthy option ready for them when they say they are hungry. Keep offering your child new foods, it may take them a few tries before they like something.

For picky eaters presenting foods in new ways can be helpful. This can be in different containers, with different utensils, fun cups, or plates. Give your child healthy foods with a dip. This could be different fruits with peanut butter, or different vegetables and chips with hummus. Dip can make food feel more fun and interactive. Using cookie cutters and cutting foods into fun shapes can also make them look more fun and appealing.

Takeaway

Children of all ages may benefit from feeding therapy. If your child isn’t eating well, or mealtimes have become stressful and anxiety filled, it may be time to speak with your child’s pediatrician to see if feeding therapy can help your family. Feeding therapy aims to help make mealtimes enjoyable for everyone in the family.