Feeding Therapy
Feeding Therapy is a specialized intervention designed to address feeding difficulties in children. These difficulties may include food aversions, picky eating, sensory sensitivities, trouble chewing or swallowing, or refusal to eat certain textures, tastes, or food groups.
At Axis, our Occupational therapists offer feeding therapy utilizing the SOS Approach. SOS feeding is the “Sequential Oral Sensory” Approach to feeding therapy and is one of the most well researched methods to tackling difficulties with feeding and mealtimes. While utilizing the steps to feeding, this approach systematically introduces new foods to your child while working on both the sensory processing and the oral motor skills needed to independently participate in self-feeding and mealtime activities.
How do I know if my child needs feeding therapy?
- Difficulty gaining or maintaining weight
- Consistent choking, gagging, and/or coughing during meals
- Frequent issues with vomiting
- Inability to transition to baby food purees by 10-months
- Inability to accept any table food solids by 12-months
- Refusing entire categories of food groups (i.e., proteins, vegetables, etc.) AND/OR textures (hard foods, purees, etc.)
- Almost always requires a different meal at mealtimes than the rest of the family
- Less than 20 foods in their repertoire
- Frequently gets burned out on foods and “takes a break” from it
Comprehensive Therapy Provider Serving Children & Families.