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Feeding Therapy
What is Feeding Therapy?
Feeding Therapy helps children who have difficulty eating due to sensory motor and/or behavioral feeding challenges. These children may appear as picky or problem eaters. When feeding issues are addressed for children of all ages, nutritional concerns, growth concerns, unsafe swallowing, and future poor eating habits and attitudes can be prevented or eliminated.
At Ameera Therapy we work closely with parents, pediatricians, dietitians, and other specialized doctors to develop a plan specific to your child. We offer help with:
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Newborn feeding difficulties
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Delayed/disorganized oral motor skills
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Difficulty with food transitions such as bottle feeding, nursing/bottle feeding to purees, purees to table foods.
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Problem feeders: less than 20 foods in their diet, gags or vomits at sight, smell or taste of food
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Extremely upset when new foods presented
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Refuses certain food types/textures
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Tube feeding/alternative means of nutrition
1 out of every 4 children are reported to have some sort of feeding concern.
If you have concerns about your child’s feeding, please know that you are not alone.
Common Issues associated with Feeding Difficulties
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Painful breastfeeding
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Incoordination of suck and/or swallow
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Bottle refusal
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Excessive gas, or reflux
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Difficulty chewing
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Trouble drinking from cup or straw
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Difficulty transitioning to solids
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Lack of adequate weight gain
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Limited diet (consists of less than 15 foods)
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Eliminated an entire food group
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Rigid around specific brands of foods
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Messy and/or slow eater
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Inability to manipulate food or liquid Safely
(Coughing, choking, gagging)
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Sensory processing issues
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Structural concerns (such as oral ties)
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Weaning off tube feedings
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Stressful mealtimes
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Impacts social life
Treatment of Tethered Oral Tissues
Tethered Oral Tissues
Tethered oral tissues (TOTs), otherwise known as tongue/lip/buccal ties, can affect appropriate movements of oral structures for adequate food management, swallowing, breathing, sleeping and speech. Ameera therapy provides appropriate referrals to medical providers as well as pre and post op therapy and support!
Some Common Symptoms that impact function:
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In breastfeeding, unsustained and/or shallow latch, colic and/or irritability, gassiness, falling asleep at the breast, extended feedings, frequent short feeds, poor weight gain, clicking, anterior breastmilk loss, gagging; maternal nipple pain/trauma, recurrent thrush/ mastitis, combative behaviors;
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During bottle feedings, clicking, anterior liquid spillage, extended feedings, poor weight gain, GI symptoms (GER, gas, hiccups), frequent short feeds, collapsing bottle nipple, combative behaviors, and gagging;
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During solid feedings, difficulty transitioning to purees and table foods; poor intake and weight gain, gagging, refusals and negative mealtime behaviors, packing, expulsion, difficulties with fibrous, multi-textured foods;
