What is Pediatric Feeding Therapy?
Feeding therapists are speech-language pathologists who are trained to diagnose and manage feeding and swallowing disorders. Our highly trained feeding therapists provide specialized feeding intervention for a wide range of feeding and swallowing challenges. In feeding therapy, the therapist works with the family to determine the feeding and swallowing related challenges and creates goals with the family that supports both the child and the family in their feeding journey.
Why Might My Child Need to See a Feeding Therapist?
Feeding difficulties are often seen in 25% of typically developing children and up to 80% of children with developmental delays.
Your child may have been referred for an oral motor/feeding evaluation secondary to concerns that your child is refusing to eat or has difficulty chewing or swallowing. Frequent concerns that warrant a feeding evaluation are as follows:
- Developmental delay or disability; specific diagnoses
- Chronic diseases or syndromes
- Neurological, respiratory, and metabolic disorders
- Sensory-related conditions or Autism Spectrum
- Limited or poor oral intake
- Slow or inadequate weight gain
- Failure to Thrive
- Difficulty with bottle feeding
- Difficulty chewing certain textures
- Coughing, choking, gagging , or vomiting with liquids or solids
- Oral motor or chewing difficulty
- Oral sensitivity and difficulty with textures
- Difficulty transitioning to table foods
- Frequent refusal to eat or drink
- “Picky” eaters or food refusals
- Fear or anxiety related to eating
During the feeding evaluation, Shine feeding specialists will take a thorough medical and feeding history. Your child will further be observed with a feeding in order to fully assess your child’s oral musculature and feeding skills during a meal. Our experienced feeding team looks at the whole child during the evaluation in order to fully address the feeding concerns. Following the feeding evaluation, feeding therapy may be recommended. Shine therapists are experienced with a range of ages and feeding concerns including infant feedings, transitioning children to an age appropriate diet level, as well as addressing picky feeding. Our feeding team specialists work when necessary with other providers in the area, including our on staff registered dietitian, occupational therapist, physical therapist, pediatric gastroenterologists and a wide range of medical specialists following the evaluation to help families and their children who are struggling to have successful mealtimes.
How To Get Started/Schedule an Appointment
Children who are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms may benefit from a feeding therapy evaluation. Please speak with your pediatrician about your concerns. You may also reach out using the ‘contact us’ link.