Feeding Therapy

Feeding challenges affect children of all ages, from birth to school-aged for a variety of different reasons.

Eating is a highly complex act, relying on the respiratory, postural, oral-motor, and sensory systems of the body. Challenges in one of these areas may disrupt the intricate timing and coordination of the body’s overall “eating system”. This disruption can result in a child who experiences eating as a challenging, unpleasant job rather than as an enjoyable, rewarding experience. Children who benefit from feeding therapy have any of the following:

Developmental Delay or disability
Neurological disorders
Metabolic Disorders
Congenital Anomalies
Disorders of oral motor structure or development
Weight gain or loss
Improper growth
Disorders of the gastrointestinal system
Aspiration, vomiting, choking and/or gagging with feeding
Non-oral feeding (g-tube)
Delayed self-feeding
Delayed transition from liquids to solids, smooth to soft-solid, soft-solid to chewable solids
Breast or bottle feeding difficulties

Because numerous factors contribute to feeding difficulties, an extensive and comprehensive feeding evaluation is essential. Evaluations are provided by a team of therapists – including speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, and a social developmental practitioner – who specialize in treating children exhibiting feeding difficulties.

The goal of feeding therapy is to identify your child’s current level of development related to feeding and to provide both direct interventions, as well as support for the carry-over of therapeutic strategies in the home environment. Through a close working relationship with your feeding therapist, the underlying causes for your child’s feeding difficulties will be identified and an individualized treatment program will be developed so that your child becomes a healthy and happy eater. For more information, visit the C/K Feeding Programs page.

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