Feeding therapy

Paediatric feeding therapy helps children develop safe and effective feeding skills, addressing challenges like food refusal, swallowing difficulties, and nutritional deficiencies. Therapists use play-based techniques and sensory integration strategies to make mealtime a positive experience. This therapy improves oral motor skills, increases food acceptance, and reduces mealtime stress, promoting healthy growth and development. By fostering a positive relationship with food, paediatric feeding therapy sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

Indication:

1. Infants:
    - Difficulty latching or breastfeeding
    - Poor sucking or swallowing
    - Failure to gain weight
2. Toddlers:
    - Refusal to eat solids
    - Difficulty transitioning from bottle to cup
    - Picky eating or food refusal
3. Children:
    - Difficulty chewing or swallowing
    - Food avoidance or selectivity
    - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
    - Constipation or encopresis
4. Developmental delays or disabilities:
    - Cerebral palsy
    - Down syndrome
    - Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
    - Developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
5. Congenital conditions:
    - Cleft palate or lip
    - Craniofacial abnormalities
    - Tracheostomy or ventilator dependence
6. Feeding tube dependence:
    - Nasogastric tube (NG tube)
    - Gastrostomy tube (G tube)
7. Oral motor deficits:
    - Weak tongue or lip muscles
    - Difficulty with chewing or swallowing
8. Sensory processing disorder (SPD):
    - Aversion to certain textures or tastes
    - Hyper- or hyposensitivity to feeding sensations

Feeding therapy in pediatrics aims to:

1. Improve feeding safety and efficiency
2. Increase food acceptance and variety
3. Enhance oral motor skills
4. Develop appropriate feeding behaviors
5. Support adequate nutrition and hydration
6. Reduce mealtime stress and anxiety
7. Improve parent-child feeding relationships

Consult with a healthcare professional to determine if feeding therapy is appropriate for your child's specific needs.