Pediatric feeding therapy is a personalized and holistic approach to support children in developing healthy eating habits and fostering a positive relationship with food. Feeding therapy is a specialized area of therapy that focuses on addressing a child’s difficulties related to eating, feeding, and mealtime behaviors. The treatment approach will depend on the root cause. For example, a child may have difficulty with the motor movements necessary to masticate food or sensory deficits such as overstuffing, gagging or aversion to the sight, smell or taste of food. Feeding is a complex task that involves all of our eight senses. Imagine how overwhelming this may be for your child if they are averse to a strong smell or frightened of the way a food item looks on their plate.

The good news is, feeding therapy can be creative and fun! A session often includes controlled exposure to different foods, textures, colors, and smells. This gradual approach allows children to acclimate to unfamiliar foods at their preferred speed, alleviates anxiety, improves nutritional intake, and rebuilds enjoyment to mealtimes.

The main approach I use with my picky/problem eaters during sessions is The SOS Approach to Feeding. The SOS Approach stands for “Sequential Oral Sensory,” and is a holistic and systematic approach to pediatric feeding therapy. It was developed by Dr. Kay Toomey, a pediatric psychologist, and Dr. Erin Ross, an occupational therapist. This approach is designed to address the multifaceted issues that many children with feeding difficulties face, including sensory aversions, oral motor challenges, and behavioral concerns. In SOS, we use children’s intrinsic motivation, allow children to move up and down the feeding hierarchy at their own pace, teach that learning to eat can be enjoyable and empower families to take part in the feeding journey.