Feeding Therapy

Children may experience difficulties in feeding due to a variety of reasons. When a child is struggling with feeding, it may be caused by or can lead to medical, psychological, and social concerns. Feeding is more than just eating, it is the process of accurately “feeling” hunger/thirst, being able to access food and liquid, and digest the foods into usable nutrition.
The feeding assessment and intervention process requires consideration of:
  • the child’s ability to safely take food/liquid into mouth**
  • oral motor function
  • muscle tone and posture
  • sensory responses
  • feeding behaviors
  • ability to self- feed
  • the physical environment (seating, table, feeding utensils, setting)
  • the social environment (parent-child interactions, external cues)
  • the demands of the feeding task (volume, presentation, types of food)
The primary goal of feeding interventions is to ensure that the child can eat safely. Once safety is established, therapy may focus on oral motor skills and/or sensory processing to ensure nutritional health of the child.

** If safety is in question, the child will be referred to obtain a swallow study prior to the delivery of therapy services.

Therapists at Integration Station are trained in applying the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol, SOS Approach to Feeding, and Picky Eaters vs. Problem Feeders.