Feeding therapy
Feeding Therapy helps children develop a positive relationship with food. We guide them to try and enjoy different tastes and textures in a fun, supportive way. Our goal is to make mealtime enjoyable, not stressful, by tailoring our approach to each child's needs. We encourage confidence and exploration, allowing children to discover the joys of food at their own speed. Together, we create a caring environment where healthy eating habits can grow, supporting your child's overall development.
Typical development of feeding skills
(0-3 years old)
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Takes 2-4 ounces of liquid per feeding; 6 or more feedings per day.
Uses a suckling pattern; loses some liquid.
Swallows with suckle-swallow pattern; tongue may protrude slightly through lips with extension/retraction movement (suckle reflex and tongue thrust reflex)
Sequences two or more sucks before pausing to swallow.
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Takes 4-7 ounces of liquid; 4-6 feedings per day.
Sequencing 20 or more sucks; good coordination of suck/ swallow/ breathe sequence.
4months: loss of sucking reflex; sucking becomes an intentional act; loss of tongue thrust reflex- increases ability to accept spoon-fed cereal or smooth puree.
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Cereals and pureed foods; liquids
Takes 9 to 10 ounces of food or liquid per feeding; 4-6 feedings per day.
Uses primitive phasic bite-release pattern on soft cookie; biting rhythm is regular with no controlled, sustained bite; may revert to sucking cookie instead of biting.
May use intermittent up/down chewing movements.
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Thicker pureed foods at 7 months; ground or junior foods and mashed table foods at 8 months.
Visually or tactilely recognizes sppon; jaw quiets and remains in stable, open position until spoon enters mouth; tongue relaxes to accept spoon.
Long sequences of sucking, swallowing, and breathing. With cup drinking may have continous sucks followed by uncoordinated swallowing(much liquid lost.) Larger mouthfuls by cup may result in coughing or choking.
Tongue moves up and down in a munching pattern; tongue shows more lateralization with a grass rolling movement or simple horizontal shift when food is placed on the side biting surfaces.
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Longer sequences of continuous sucks with cup drinking; still has difficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing, and breathing with cup drinking.
Can hold a soft cookie between teeth without biting all the way through (graded bite;) may alternate this holding pattern with phasic bite pattern.
Vertical jaw movements in chewing with variations in up/down movement and speed. Uses diagnonol rotarty movements as the tongue moves from the center of the mouth to the side for chewing.
Uses lateral tognue movemnts when food is placed on side of mouth; begins to transfer food from the center of the mouth to the side for chewing.
Uses lateral tongue movements when food is placed on side of mouth; begins to transfer food from center of tongue to side.
10 months: Lips move to remove food from spoon.
Indepednet finger feeding.
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Swallows liquid from cup with easy lip closure; no loss of liquid.
Swallows solid foods (including combination of texture) with easy lip closure; no loss of food.
Can transfer food from either side of mouth to other side without pausing in center.
Can internally stabilize cup without biting on edge of cup.
Able to grade opening of jaw when biting foods of different thicknesses.
Chewing movements mixture of vertical and ortarty movements.
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Eats the same food as the rest of the family!
Chewing with a grinding movement does not usually occur until approximately 48 months.
Does your child exhibit any of the following?
Tongue-tie is typically diagnosed during a physical exam. For infants, the doctor might use a screening tool to score various aspects of the tongue's appearance and ability to move.
TREATMENT
We collaborate closely with dentists who specialize in frenotomies. Prior to the release, we provide targeted pre-exercises to prepare your child’s oral muscles, ensuring they are ready for the procedure. After the release, our post-exercises will help maintain tongue mobility and support optimal function. Our primary goal is to enhance your child's strength and coordination, making daily activities easier and more enjoyable. Together, we create a supportive pathway to better oral health and functional outcomes for your child.
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Picky eating can happen for several reasons, like being sensitive to taste, texture, and smell. This sensitivity often leads to strong likes and dislikes for certain foods
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Feeding time can be a source of stress for some children, leading to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. This stress may manifest as avoidant behavior, where a child resists trying new foods or even refuses to eat altogether. Various factors contribute to this response, including sensory sensitivities, past negative experiences, or difficulty with the textures and tastes of certain foods.
Risks of feeding or swallowing difficulties
Sue Henry, co-director and practicing OTR/L, specializes in bottle aversions, feeding difficulties and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT). OMT is designed to improve breathing, swallowing, and chewing disorders, restore proper freeway space, support bite stabilization, and eliminate harmful oral habits like tongue-thrusting and thumb-sucking. Additionally, OMT helps maintain long-term stability for orthodontic, surgical, and dental treatments.
Dehydration or poor nutrition
Risk of aspiration (food or liquid entering the airway.)
Embarrassment or isolation in social situations involving eating
Poor oral resting posture/ mouth breathing
Difficulty eating age appropriate textured foods
Frequent coughing, choking, or gagging when eating or drinking
Drooling