Pediatric Feeding Therapy

Here at Garden State Speech Therapy, we offer a comprehensive approach to feeding therapy.

We Are Passionate About Feeding

Are mealtimes becoming particularly stressful for your family? Is your child stuck in a repetitive cycle of chicken nuggets and french fries? Is your child having trouble with bottle feeding, or drinking from a cup, or is the transition to solid foods a challenge? If so, your child may benefit from a feeding evaluation. We offer feeding evaluations and treatment for children of varying feeding difficulties. Our range of feeding therapy spans from newborns to adolescents. We work with newborns who are having difficulties accepting bottles or gaining weight, with infants having trouble transitioning from liquids to purees or purees to solids, with children who are picky eaters and have food refusal, food avoidance, or tantrums around meal times.

Feeding Therapy Treatments

Our multidisciplinary team of speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists are experienced in caring for children of all ages with feeding issues. Our evidence-based approaches to feeding and swallowing therapy approach are child-centered, individualized and holistic. The following may help you determine if feeding therapy is right for you:

Picky eaters generally eat at least 30 different foods - problem feeders have a restricted range or variety of foods, and usually eat less than 20 foods. Picky eaters are generally able to tolerate new foods on their plate, and can usually touch or taste a new food, even if they do so very reluctantly while problem feeders cry, protest, tantrum, gag, and “fall apart” when presented with new foods. They completely refuse to touch, taste, or try the new food. Picky eaters will eat at least one food from most food textures and nutrition groups - problem feeders refuse entire categories of food textures or nutrition groups. Picky eaters frequently eat different foods at a meal than the rest of the family but usually eat with the family, while problem feeders almost always eat different foods at a meal than the rest of the family, and often don’t eat with the family.
Are you concerned your child is a problem feeder? Call us today to schedule a feeding evaluation and start the first steps to turning your child into a happy, healthy, adventurous eater!
Is your child an exceptionally messy eater? Are they having trouble drinking from a bottle, a straw, an open-cup, or transitioning from purees to solids? Do you notice that your child has a hard time keeping food in their mouth or swallowing after they chew? Does your child often cough or choke while eating? These may be warning signs of an oral-motor disorder. Our speech-language pathologists are experts in assessing, diagnosing, and treating feeding and swallowing disorders in children. Our feeding therapy program offers comprehensive assessment, individualized treatment plans, a family-centered approach, multidisciplinary collaboration, and ongoing support.
We also work with babies who have been discharged from the NICU and help parents select the right bottle type, and the correct flow rate nipple, and help with latching onto the nipple. We follow a comprehensive approach with the caregivers and parents as the main component of therapy to ensure the carryover and maintenance of feeding skills within the home.
Our Occupational Therapists can assist with holding utensils/grasping, posturing, adaptive devices, and more.