Feeding Therapy

Signs your child would benefit from a feeding evaluation

Every child grows at their own pace, but an evaluation may help if your child:

• Has trouble breastfeeding or bottle feeding
• Coughs, gags, or chokes during meals
• Has a hard time moving from purees to textured or table foods
• Eats fewer than 20 foods or refuses whole food groups
• Has meals that are stressful, very long, or end in tears
• Pockets food, spits it out, or vomits often while eating
• Isn’t gaining weight as expected

Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, we’re here to help.

What to expect at a feeding evaluation

We complete evaluations over two visits, so your child has time to get comfortable and our team can get a true picture of their eating and mealtime skills.

1. 1
   Before the visits

   We’ll get a referral from your child’s physician and send intake paperwork about your child’s medical history, growth, and current eating habits.

2. 2
   During the visits

   A feeding therapist will talk with you about mealtimes, watch your child eat, and use a mix of standardized and informal assessments to look at oral motor, sensory, and feeding skills. Please bring a few foods your child likes and one or two they have trouble with, plus their usual cup, bottle, or utensils.

3. 3
   After the visits

   We’ll go over the results with you, answer your questions, and share recommendations, including whether therapy is needed and how often.