Our feeding team, comprised of Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Pathologists, apply principles from advanced training to evaluate and treat patients with feeding concerns. Children who experience difficulty with trying new foods/textures, referred to as “Problem Feeders” and feeding disorders.
Click on the tabs below to learn more about problem feeders, dysphagia and lactation counseling.
Children who require professional feeding intervention demonstrate concerns beyond pickiness. Some children prefer certain foods and can turn down new foods when presented with them. Problem feeders present with signs/symptoms that are much more severe such as:
Dysphagia can occur at different phases including oral, pharyngeal and esophageal. Our therapists specialize in treating oral phase dysphagia which includes sucking, chewing, controlling food inside the oral cavity and moving food or liquid into the throat to successfully swallow.
Some signs/symptoms that may be exhibited due to oral phase dysphagia may include:
Breastfeeding provides a mother and baby with best possible nutrition and several other health benefits that begin from the moment of birth. When encountering difficulty, we are able to provide Certified Lactation Counseling services. Combined with training as feeding therapists, we are able to assess and treat a variety of concerns related to latch, milk production, oral motor skill, muscle tone, and positioning, all of which may be impacting the breastfeeding process.
Once your baby is here, we can help if you or your newborn are:
The following are some causes of feeding and swallowing disorders in children:
To assist you with getting the most out of your first feeding therapy visit, please print and complete the age appropriate evaluation form:
In order to obtain a clear picture of your child’s needs, our therapists will complete an evaluation. We will obtain medical history and a food diary, discuss symptoms, and gather information regarding overall development. The therapist will then conduct an assessment to look at the strength and movement of the muscles involved in the oral phase of feeding as well as observe feeding to see your child’ s posture, behavior, and oral movements during eating and drinking.
If feeding therapy is recommended, we will work closely with both the child and family to develop an individualized treatment plan. The following are examples of areas that may be the focus of intervention:
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