OTs role in Feeding Therapy at PDC

In this issue: Feeding

Did you know: Occupational therapists (OTs) at the Pediatric Development Center can help children who have feeding challenges. These challenges can include limited diets and food preferences, avoidance of entire food groups, strong reluctance to try new foods, and a strong desire for rules and routines at mealtimes. OTs can help families set up beneficial meal time routines and help children become more comfortable around exploring and eating new foods. 

Signs of Difficulty:

• Do you find yourself making separate meals for a child in your family? 

• Does your child only want to eat snacks? 

• Do you need to preplan your child’s meal if you are eating outside of the home?

• Is your child anxious around mealtimes and strongly resistant to trying new foods? 

• Do you find yourself “bending the rules” you intended to have around mealtimes just so that your child will eat? 

• Do you find yourself bargaining with your child in an attempt to get them to eat? 

• Do you worry that your child’s food preferences are becoming more and more narrow? 

If so, your child likely has a feeding problem. To help your child overcome these challenges, it is important to understand the root cause of the problem. Root causes may be related to a developmental delay or disorder, a medical condition such as acid reflux or allergies, to sensory sensitivities, to oral-motor difficulties or a past negative experience with food - such as choking or vomiting after eating. Some mealtime routines can also contribute to these difficulties. 

Feeding Help: OTs at the Pediatric Development Center seek to understand the root cause of your child’s feeding challenges. Understanding the cause of the feeding challenge is important for building an individualized treatment plan. During treatment sessions, children are encouraged to play with and explore new foods. This is an important first step to gaining comfort around new foods before trying to eat them. During feeding sessions your child will always ultimately be in control of which foods he or she chooses to explore and to eat. This way your child builds a positive trusting relationship with food. 

Teletherapy: Home is the perfect place to address feeding challenges. Your child’s therapist can help you set up meal time routines that are specific to your home and schedule. Your child will learn to eat in the place that he or she eats the most! Evaluations and therapy sessions can be done via teletherapy. Use this time to help your child develop the feeding skills he or she needs to feel more comfortable around new foods, increase his or her diet and to enjoy mealtimes as a family. 

If you think your child would benefit from feeding therapy, you can call the Pediatric Development Center to set up a teletherapy evaluation:  301-869-7505.