Specialized Feeding Therapy in Hingham, Pembroke & Norwood, MA

There are many reasons why a child might experience difficulties with eating and weight gain. Some children have medical issues that impact their comfort and ability to effectively drink liquids or eat solid foods, such as GI issues, reflux, Crone’s disease, past intubations, or cerebral palsy. Others may have more subtle issues including low muscle tone, oral motor weakness, decreased awareness of where food is in their mouth, or sensitivity to different tastes and textures. Regardless of the root cause, feeding therapy can address eating difficulties and help a child receive the nutrition they need. South Shore Therapies is dedicated to helping children develop and thrive.

What Is Feeding Therapy?

Our occupational therapists are specialized in supporting growth and nutrition for children of all ages. Our intervention is focused on helping a child learn how to eat, to eat a more developmentally appropriate set of foods, and to have a better relationship with feeding and mealtime. Interventions may include sensory, motor, and/or behavioral approaches, depending on the specific difficulties a child is having.

Many of the children that we work with at South Shore Therapies are experiencing sensory sensitivities or sensory defensiveness. This can make the child react strongly to smells, tastes, and textures or foods. Behaviorally, a child may automatically refuse foods based on these qualities or they may experience physiological reaction such as gagging or vomiting.

Feeding therapy may be warranted if:

• Reports of "picky eating" by parents across multiple well-child visits
  
• Very restricted variety of foods eaten, usually less than 20 foods
  
• Complete and consistent food refusals
  
• The child often cries or has a meltdown when new foods are presented
  
• The child goes on food jags, eating the same food over and over for a period of time, refusing others
  
• Foods are dropped out of the repertoire and not re-acquired after a break
  
• The child refuses entire categories of foods based on color, texture, or nutrition groups (e.g. fruits/vegetables)
  
• At mealtimes, the child almost always has different foods than the rest of the family

Early detection and intervention are important to prevent nutritional deficits and other social and behavioral difficulties associated with impaired sensory integration.

Are There Red Flags That My Child Needs Feeding Therapy?”

When working with children with feeding difficulties, it is essential for the therapist to begin by developing a safe and trusting relationship. This is achieved by addressing the sensory and motor issues that are impacting the child’s comfort with eating. 

South Shore Therapies' sensory gyms provide an ideal place to develop a therapeutic relationship and help the child feel successful. Our therapists approach feeding therapy in a playful manner, building on the textures and foods the child is already comfortable with. One method frequently used is the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach, which breaks down the ability to eat a new food into many steps, so the child can feel successful as they increasingly interact with new foods.

Parental involvement is essential to success. Our therapists will have you fill out a detailed history of foods the child eats and those you would like them to add to their repertoire. They may have you participate in the feeding portion of the therapy session and will always provide you with feedback and suggestions for preparatory activities and foods to try at home.

How Feeding Therapy Intervention Can Support Early Childhood Development

It is vital to your child’s development to recognize delays as early as possible. By identifying your child’s oral motor or feeding delays, you can change the trajectory of their developmental path by providing them with adequate support. Identifying feeding challenges early gives children the chance to improve functional outcomes and avoid potential issues in their relationship with food, participation during mealtime, and overall growth and nutrition.  

Areas where feeding therapy intervention can support your infant and toddler are:

• Oral Motor Control
• Oral Sensory Processing
• Transition to Solids
• Lactation & Bottle Feeding
• Tethered Oral Tissues
  • Tongue/Lip Ties

Early Red Flags that may indicate feeding therapy intervention is warranted:

• Difficulty with latching on bottle or nipple with breast feeding (0-3 months)
• Difficulty coordinating suck-swallow-breathe pattern (0-3 months)
• Taking a long time to feed  (0-4 months)
• Decreased interest or increased aversion when introducing solid foods (6-9 months)
• Gagging, fussing, or vomiting with new or established foods (6+ months)
• Decreased interest and willingness to try new foods (6+ months)
• Refusal to use a spoon, fork or cup (12-18 months)
• Difficulty transitioning off bottle (18+ months)
• Excessive drooling, frequent pocketing of food, unable to swallow foods/spitting out (18+ months)
• Limited food repertoire, strong food refusal (18+ months)

Contact Us With Additional Questions