Feeding Therapy

COVID-19 Update – In person consultations are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please contact us for online therapy options.

Feeding therapy supports to establish safe and healthy eating patterns.

Common goals for feeding therapy:

• Introduce new foods
• Increase the variety of food groups accepted
• Increase the variety of food textures accepted
• Increase the amount of food accepted
• Become a self feeder
• Reduce challenging mealtime behaviours
• Bring the fun back to mealtimes!

Our approach

Feeding is the most complex skill your child will learn in early life. Our approach is focused on skill building, analysis of behavior, and bringing the fun back to mealtimes!

Key elements of feeding therapy

• Comprehensive intake assessment to understand your child’s development and history of feeding
• Assessment of mealtime behaviour to determine skill levels and explore reasons for feeding problems

• Treatment design based on evidence-based strategies and individualised to the needs of your child and family
• Managing challenging mealtime behaviours which may limit learning opportunities
• Feeding therapy in the natural environment where mealtimes normally take place

Our approach uses The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Assessment and Feeding. The SOS approach is a play-based programme. The task of eating is broken down into manageable steps based on the normal development of feeding. Children learn to eat a variety of food groups and textures by reducing their anxiety around food.

Read more about SOS here: https://sosapproach-conferences.com/about-us/the-sos-approach/

Getting Started

Initial telephone consultation

Is feeding therapy right for you and your child?

Contact us to schedule a free, short telephone conversation to get to know you and your child’s needs.

Assessment

Your child’s eating history, current skill level of eating, a recent food diary and mealtime behaviours will all be reviewed. A mealtime will be observed during the evaluation. We will discuss your concerns, your child’s strengths and needs. If you decide to start a therapy programme, an individualised therapy programme will be designed, and we will break down therapy goals into achievable steps. A written assessment report will follow, inclusive of therapy goals and strategies.

Feeding Therapy

• Feeding therapy focuses on fun activities targeting short-term and long-term goals each session
• Parents and caregivers are an important part of each session, all techniques are trained through modelling, practice and feedback
• Strategies for use between sessions are provided
• Ongoing support may be accessed through video call and email