What is feeding therapy?
Feeding therapy is designed for children and adults who have difficulty sucking, chewing, swallowing or accepting foods or liquids for a variety of reasons (e.g., sensory aversion, muscle weakness or muscle coordination).
Why would my baby need feeding therapy?
There are quite a few situations where feeding therapy can be beneficial for newborns, babies and their parents.
- Your baby is nursing for 30 (or more) minutes per side but seems hungry quickly afterwards.
- Your baby is struggling to latch and transfer milk, but your positioning and milk supply are ok.
- Your baby is not gaining the proper amount of weight
- Your baby is able to nurse and is gaining weight, but refuses to take a bottle.
- Your baby is gulping, coughing, or leaking milk from their mouths while nursing or taking a bottle.
- Your baby is recommended for a tongue tie release. A functional muscle assessment and plan of action should be done before a release is completed. Often a tongue and lip tie are just a piece of the puzzle. A release is one step, but not the whole picture. Having all the information about your baby makes you a more empowered advocate for your little one.
I need to go back to work and my baby won’t take a bottle. Can you help?
Yes! Often times there is a reason why a baby can’t or won’t take a bottle. Sometimes it’s the type of bottle, other times it is a difficulty with the various muscles needed to drink from a bottle. I have a very large supply of bottles, straw cups, sippy cups and modified drinking options at my disposal. We will keep working together until we find a way for you to leave your baby for a short or long while and feel secure that they are eating well while you are at work, out to dinner, or just wandering around target alone.
What is the difference between a “picky eater,” a “problem eater” and a swallowing disorder?
A “picky eater” eats at least 30 foods, but is averse to certain textures, food groups or trying new foods.
A “problem eater” has difficulty sucking, chewing and swallowing different types of foods as well as different food textures. This often results in the child having a very limited diet and refusal to try any new food.
A person with a swallowing disorder (dysphagia) has difficulty controlling and/or moving food, liquid or pills from their mouth to their stomachs safely and accurately while also protecting their airway.
When should my child say their first words? When should I be concerned that they are delayed?
A child’s first words should be heard between 9 and 15 months old. Some children advance in motor skills earlier than others, and their first words may come later in the age-range. Other children will begin speaking towards the earlier end of the range. If your child is not producing any single words by 15 or 16 months, they should be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist.
I can understand my child, but others say he’s difficult to understand. Should I bring him in for an evaluation?
The general guideline is that by age 2, your child should be understood about 50% of the time.
At age 3 your child should be understood by their caregivers and produce the sounds p, b, m, and w in words.
By age 4, your child should be understood by individuals with whom they do not associate regularly and by family. They should be correctly producing the sounds t, d, k, g, and f.
At 5 years old, your child should be understood in all situations by most listeners and correctly produce most speech sounds.
If your child does not reach their speech milestones, or becomes frustrated when others ask them to repeat themselves, they would benefit from speech therapy.
What is the difference between receptive and expressive language?
Expressive language is the ability to share one’s thoughts, feelings and ideas. This can done verbally, through signs, or with an AAC device (picture exchange or technology-based).
Receptive language is the ability to understand language, ranging from simply identifying objects by name to following complex directions.