Feeding and Swallowing Therapy

Pediatric Feeding Therapy is a combination of treatments that help children with feeding disorders.  A child with a feeding disorder has difficulties related to eating or drinking. There are many different types of feeding challenges, and no two children have the exact same one. 

For example, some children do not eat anything at all. These children may be fed through tubes. Some children eat very little and do not gain weight or grow. Some children do not have a healthy or balanced diet because they only eat a few or certain kinds of foods. In some cases, a child may have behavior problems during meals that cause mealtime to be very stressful for the family. Other children have problems with chewing or swallowing.  Finally, medical problems such as vomiting may play a role in a child’s feeding disorder.

Our feeding clinic can help your child:

• Learn proper meal time behavior
• Improve their oral motor skills
• Learn to chew properly
• Decrease their fear of food
• Learn proper swallowing techniques
• Tolerate a variety of foods
• Accept foods of different textures, scents and flavors

Treating your child includes examining, evaluating, and assessing the areas in which your child may have difficulty with feeding or swallowing and then incorporating activities to address these areas.  After examining your child, our professional therapists will make an evaluation of their findings using a combination of standardized tests, observations, and/or clinical expertise.

Request information about this or any other Upward "Family of Caring" program.