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What is Feeding Therapy?

November 13, 2024

What is Feeding Therapy?



Feeding therapy is a specialized type of therapy that can be performed by occupational therapists and speech language pathologists. Feeding therapy is most commonly utilized for babies and toddlers, as feeding and swallowing problems usually present early in life.


Feeding therapy can address a variety of issues around food and feeding. This includes picky eating, physical limitations (swallowing difficulties), medical conditions (cleft lip, breathing problems, feeding tube), and sensory issues (autism, adhd, sensory processing disorders).


When working with children in feeding therapy, therapists work closely with families and caregivers to discuss their concerns and goals in feeding therapy. Dealing with a young child with picky eating habits can be stressful for everyone involved, and therapists aim to relieve some of this anxiety by utilizing techniques that parents can easily employ at home.


Eating problems can affect up to 20% of children under the age of seven. But sometimes it can be tricky for caregivers to tell if their child needs help. Here are some signs to watch out for if you are concerned about your child's eating, according to WebMD:


Babies up to 6 months:

  • Coughing or choking during feeding
  • Problems coordinating breathing while eating
  • Frequent projectile vomiting

Babies 6-12 months:

  • Difficulty trying purees
  • Turning head away during feeding
  • Lack of interest in finger foods
  • Frequent coughing or gagging

Children over 1 year:

  • Very restricted diet
  • Avoiding certain textures or food groups
  • Coughing or choking while drinking
  • Inability to use a straw
  • Upset with new foods
  • Low weight or losing weight


If you are concerned about your child's eating or nutrition, the first step is to visit your pediatrician and express your concerns. From there, your doctor will discuss suggestions for treatment options.


Here at PMC, our feeding clinic offers multi-discipline (speech therapy and occupational therapy) therapeutic interventions catered to your child's specific needs. Our team utilizes the SOS (sequential-oral-sensory) feeding approach to create an eating routine that reinforces developmentally appropriate, healthy eating patterns. Social modeling, positive reinforcement, manageable food and skill development are all parts of this approach. SOS feeding therapy allows children to explore food through their senses, using their fingers, hands and mouth to explore new sensations. If your concerns with feeding are specific to diet and picky eating, PMC also has an in-house registered dietitian who can assist with improving nutrition through a low-stress approach.

The Developmental Benefits of Tumbling Classes

November 13, 2024
The Developmental Benefits of Tumbling Classes Here at the Pediatric Movement Center, our recreational classes are fun, social movement opportunities for children of all ages to play in a safe and secure space. But tumbling and gymnastics classes offer so many benefits, both physical and mental, for young children. Whether you are looking at our Ninja classes or Adaptive Gymnastics, you can be assured that our approach to recreation is developmentally beneficial for all individuals. Here are just a few benefits of these classes: Physical Fitness Physical benefits of tumbling and gymnastics include flexibility, core strength, cardiovascular health and stamina, join health, and disease prevention. Jumping, balance, leg lifts and triple flexion (ankle, knee and hip) are just a few movements that are beneficial. Tumbling and gymnastics also includes a variety of poses that are helpful for strength and flexibility, such as lunges , bicycle, butterfly stretch, and forward rolls. 2. Cognitive Development Social Skills Confidence Injury Prevention Learning Skills Transferable Skills

What is Feeding Therapy?

November 13, 2024
What is Feeding Therapy?

What is Apraxia?

November 11, 2024
What is Apraxia? Apraxia is a motor speech disorder. Childhood apraxia of speech is a rare, but lifelong disorder that makes it difficult for individuals to move their mouth muscles in order to speak. The important thing to note about Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is that the child knows what they want to say, but may struggle with connecting the brain to the muscles that must accompany speech. Unlike other forms of childhood speech problems, CAS is not a disorder that can be outgrown. Children with CAS must receive treatment in order to make any progress with speech. Signs of CAS in children older than 3 years old include: - not pronouncing words the same way every time - putting the stress on the wrong syllable or word in a sentence or sequence of words - distortions in sounds - ease with shorter words and struggle with longer words Speech therapy for CAS focuses on strengthening the muscle groups required to speak - included facial and oral structures. This part of speech language therapy is referred to as speech motor planning and programming . SLP's will focus on techniques and activities that strengthen the lips, tongue, soft palate, jaw and vocal folds - to help the child learn when to activate and move each at the right time and in the right order, so that words are pronounced and produced accurately. Children with CAS may also struggle with fine motor skills, delayed language, and problems with reading, spelling and writing. If you have questions about CAS and want to learn more about what speech therapy services we can provide at PMC, please reach out today.

Communicating Emotions: Zones of Regulation

November 11, 2024
Communicating Emotions: Zones of Regulation Most children, especially neurodiverse children, struggle at some point with communicating emotions. Children with speech and language delays, and children who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems (AAC devices), may also struggle with frustration when trying to communicate how they are feeling. One strategy that pediatric therapists can utilize to help children communicate emotions is a technique known as the Zones of Regulation. The Zones of Regulation consists of four colored zones: Blue, Green, Yellow and Red. Each zone provides a visual for different kinds of feelings and energy levels. Organizing emotions into four simple sections can be a helpful visual for children, allowing them to communicate their emotions by simply pointing to one of the color blocks that hold the emotions they are feeling.

Types of Sensory Swings

November 11, 2024
Types of Sensory Swings Did you know that swinging can have a major impact on a child's vestibular system? The vestibular system is a sensory system in the inner ear that helps with balance and spatial orientation. Sensory swings, which come in many forms, are a great way to work on the vestibular system. Balancing the vestibular system can have a multitude of benefits beyond the physical - it can be a great way to practice body awareness and regulate the nervous system. Here is a quick guide to different types of sensory swings that may be utilized in pediatric therapy. 1. Bolster Swing

Why Teach Self-Regulation?

November 7, 2024
Why Teach Self-Regulation? When a toddler throws a tantrum, their reaction is usually developmentally normal for their age. Most little kids are still learning how to navigate big emotions. Most three year olds have not mastered self-regulation; the ability to control one's emotions and respond rationally to stressful or stimulating situations. But learning self-regulation can be complicated. There are many factors that impact our ability to self-regulate. Neurodevelopment, trauma and sensory differences are just a few factors in an individual's ability to self-regulate. Research shows that learning self-regulation can be life-changing for children and young adults, especially individuals who have experienced trauma. Learning emotional regulation can have a powerful impact on a person's wellbeing, So when do we learn how to navigate difficult thoughts and feelings? And how? When it comes to children and adolescents, research demonstrates that sensory-based occupational therapy may be an effective intervention to increase self-regulation. Occupational therapists are training to help individuals increase body awareness , and cope in a healthy way with stressful or demanding situations or circumstances. Children and individuals who struggle with self-regulation may express the following things: - overreactions to situations - emotional outburts - long-term negative emotions - mood swings and unpredictable moods The key to self-regulation is something called Inhibition. Inhibition is the ability to interrupt, adjust, stop or change thoughts or feelings or actions. For example, if you are sitting in traffic and start to grow frustrated, before you start shouting or getting angry about being stuck in that situation, inhibition would allow you to take a deep breath, and remind yourself that you cannot control the traffic, and that even though it is frustrating, you will be home soon. Being able to regulate emotions in this way has been proven to have a positive effect on a person's wellbeing, and can be integral to the health of children and young adults who are still learning how to deal with difficult emotions. A recent study demonstrated that adolescents who were engaging in self-regulatory behavior, reported greater wellbeing than their peers, including increased general life satisfaction and perceived social support. One way that occupational therapy can assist with learning self-regulation is through sensory input. Sensory input can include play-based activities , such as games or blowing bubbles, that help the individual navigate big emotions. Other activities that may be utilized for self-regulation in occupational therapy included music, stretching, guided imagery, colored lights, breathing exercises or large muscle activities. Occupational therapists are able to assess how certain factors may be impacting an individual on a daily basis, and implement interventions that help the person feel more balanced emotionally as they navigate day to day life.
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