Does Your Child Refuse to Eat Certain Foods? Know How Pediatric Feeding Therapy Can Help

Does your child reject specific foods or eat anything new? You are not the only parent to tackle this mealtime issue. Here, picky eating is not always the case. It might be a feeding problem that needs professional assistance, and that is provided by pediatric feeding therapy.

What Is Pediatric Feeding Therapy?

Pediatric feeding therapy is a specialized therapy that assists children with difficulty eating, swallowing, or experimenting with new textures. The therapy, led by highly experienced pediatric therapists, integrates speech and occupational therapy to ensure mealtime is enjoyable and less stressful. The entire therapy is focused on helping children to eat food appropriately without any hesitation and also gain oral motor and sensory skills.

What does Feeding Therapy do to Your Child?

Therapists start by learning the reasons for avoiding certain foods: is it texture sensitivity, oral motor weakness, or anxiety? With the therapy session, children  learn to:

• Explore new tastes and textures.

• Improve the coordination of chewing and swallowing.

• Be relaxed and confident at the table.

• Master lasting healthy eating habits.

Occupational therapy is also mentioned in some programs to enhance posture and hand coordination, which makes eating experiences all the smoother once again.

Conclusion

On the whole, pediatric feeding therapy helps children have a good relationship with food. Mealtime can become a joyful experience with the help of the appropriate therapist who will ensure your child’s mealtime turns from stressful to joyful together.