Understanding Feeding Therapy: Helping Your Child Overcome Mealtime Challenges
At Child's Play Therapy Services, we understand that mealtime can be challenging for some children and their families. Whether it’s due to sensory sensitivities, oral motor difficulties, or developmental delays, feeding challenges can make eating a stressful experience for both children and their parents. That’s why we’re proud to offer specialized feeding therapy using the SOS (Sequential-Oral-Sensory) approach. This comprehensive, evidence-based program is designed to help children overcome feeding difficulties while creating a positive and enjoyable mealtime experience.
What is the SOS Approach to Feeding Therapy?
The SOS approach is a child-centered and family-focused feeding therapy that emphasizes a strengths-based methodology. It takes a holistic approach, addressing not just the act of eating but also the underlying sensory and developmental factors that may be contributing to feeding challenges. By focusing on each child’s unique strengths and needs, we create a personalized plan that promotes healthier eating habits, fosters independence, and ensures that mealtimes become less stressful and more enjoyable.
How We Make a Difference
Our feeding therapy services stand out because of the individualized care and attention we provide to each child. Here’s how we help children and families:
1. Individualized Strengths and Pace
We start by recognizing each child’s unique strengths and needs. By understanding the child’s individual responses to food, we can set a pace that respects their body’s cues, ensuring they feel safe and supported throughout the process.
2. Intrinsic Motivation
We tap into what naturally motivates each child, helping to foster eagerness and enthusiasm around exploring new foods. When children are motivated and excited, they are more likely to develop a positive attitude toward trying unfamiliar foods.
3. Strategic Food Selection
Our therapists use clinical reasoning to carefully select foods that will interest your child while providing just the right challenge. These carefully chosen foods broaden their sensory tolerance, helping to improve oral motor skills and expand their ability to eat a wider variety of nutritious foods.
4. Purposeful Play
Food play is an essential component of our feeding therapy. Through targeted sensory motor activities, we prepare children’s bodies for the act of eating, helping them feel more comfortable with varying textures and sensory experiences. This builds safety and trust around food.
5. Developmental Guidance
Using typical developmental milestones as our guide, we ensure our approach aligns with each child’s physical and neural capabilities. This developmental guidance helps children build essential eating skills in a way that is both effective and comfortable.
6. Parent Coaching
We know that mealtime is an important part of family life, which is why we provide coaching for parents, caregivers, and families. Our goal is to empower parents to support their child’s feeding journey, helping them make informed decisions about food choices. We also help caregivers create strategies that allow children to develop autonomy and confidence in their food intake. This emotional security is key to encouraging children to try new foods and develop healthy eating habits.
Comprehensive Support for the Whole Family
Feeding therapy is not just about the child—it’s about creating a collaborative environment that involves the entire family. Our therapists work closely with caregivers, helping them understand their child’s cues and communication, which is crucial for developing effective home feeding strategies. This partnership ensures that the progress made in therapy is sustained outside of the therapy room and at mealtimes.
At Child’s Play Therapy Services, our team of occupational therapists and speech therapists are trained in multiple feeding approaches, including the SOS approach, AEIOU approach, and TalkTools©. These specialized techniques enable us to offer comprehensive support tailored to each child’s specific needs, helping them expand their food preferences, build oral motor skills, and ultimately enjoy mealtimes with the family.
Ready to Get Started?
If your child is facing challenges with feeding or if mealtime is a stressful experience, we are here to help. At Child’s Play Therapy Services, our goal is to make mealtimes more enjoyable and less stressful for both children and their families. We’re here to guide you through the process, providing the tools and support needed for your child to build healthy, positive eating habits.
If you're interested in learning more about our feeding therapy services or would like to schedule a consultation, please contact us.
