Pediatric Feeding Therapy
Good nutrition is important for children’s growing bodies. But sometimes children can struggle to eat the variety of foods they need for their health and development. If you are concerned about your child’s mealtime habits, feeding therapy could be the solution. This treatment is designed to determine what is causing your child’s feeding difficulties and learn how to overcome them. With our therapists’ help, your child can learn how to eat and drink with confidence for a healthy body and happy mealtimes.
What Is Feeding Therapy?
Pediatric feeding therapy is a specialized treatment for children who struggle to eat or drink safely due to a developmental delay or disability. Your child will work with a speech-language pathologist (SLP), an occupational therapist (OT), or both depending on their specific challenges. Our therapists will work with your child on different activities and exercises designed to empower their ability to nurse, eat, and drink safely. This is vital for their overall health and nutritional intake.
Why Feeding Therapy?
Feeding therapy includes treatment for several areas of development such as oral motor control, emotional regulation, and sensory processing skills. Children who have a developmental delay or disability may have trouble with feeding due to one or more of these areas.
Because feeding is a vital life skill, you should schedule an evaluation with Believe Therapies if you are concerned about your child’s mealtime behavior or feeding habits. Early intervention can help your child overcome their struggles more easily so they can live their best life.
How Can I Tell if My Child Needs Feeding Therapy?
Feeding therapy can help if your child is struggling to nurse, chew, swallow, or keep down their food. It’s also an extremely helpful treatment for picky eaters because this is often a sign of a sensory processing disorder. Some other signs that your child may benefit from feeding therapy include if they:
- Cannot latch to the breast or bottle
- Cough, choke, or gag on food when swallowing
- Often spit up or throw up after eating
- Have speech delays
- Cannot feed themselves
- Refuse to try new foods
- Are not reaching their growth milestones
- Often have respiratory diseases
- Throw tantrums at mealtimes
- Have a cleft lip or palate
- React with anger or fear at mealtimes
What Are the Benefits of Feeding Therapy?
When your child participates in routine feeding therapy sessions, they can experience a ton of great benefits such as:
- Improved control of their oral motor skills
- Reduced stress or anxiety about mealtimes
- Better ability to participate in social situations
- Increased nutritional intake from a variety of foods
- Reduced risk of aspirating food or drink
- Increased overall health and wellbeing
- Better physical growth and development
- Increased independence and self-confidence
Contact Us for More Information
Do you have any questions about our therapy services? Give us a call today at (936) 293-8800 or fill out the form below. Our staff will be happy to get you the answers you’re looking for.
