Program Overview
What is Feeding Therapy?
Symbiosis Feeding & Swallowing Therapy specializes in assessing and providing individualized treatment for children experiencing developmental feeding delays, oral motor deficits, and sensory-based feeding challenges.
Our services are directed towards developing the skills necessary and providing social-emotional support to promote a positive mealtime experience. We integrate neurodevelopmental, oral-motor, sensory, and relationship-based approaches into our treatment.
How It Helps
How does the Feeding and Swallowing program help?
We collaborate with your medical doctor to help your child with feeding/swallowing difficulties. During the evaluation, we will ask about your child’s medical history, development, and symptoms. We will look at the strength and movement of the muscles involved in swallowing and observe feeding to see your child’s posture, behavior, and oral movements during eating and drinking.
We work with your child to improve the strength, movement, and coordination of the mouth muscles, thereby improving your child’s feeding skills. These can include their chewing, drinking, and sucking abilities.
We work closely with you to increase your child’s acceptance of different foods and liquids by altering food texture or liquid consistencies if necessary. For young infants, we work on the coordination of the suck-swallow-breath pattern. With collaborative efforts, your support, and an excellent problem-solving approach, we can help children enjoy feeding again!
Conditions It Helps
What is Feeding Therapy?
We recommend a Feeding Assessment first for children experiencing the abovementioned issues to ascertain the condition. During the assessment, our Feeding team will conduct an in-depth interview with the parents, observe the child’s eating and drinking abilities, and may implement trial strategies that can help improve the child’s feeding skills. Depending on the outcome of the assessment, our team might recommend Feeding Therapy.
Feeding Therapy can be conducted in an individual or group setting. Our therapists may use the Positive Behaviour Plan and Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding during these sessions. The SOS approach is a play-based method that helps fussy eaters develop a positive relationship with food. It aims to increase interactions with a variety of food through systematic desensitization.
- Frequent gagging, choking, or vomiting during meals
- Refusal to try new foods
- Failure to accept different textures of food (e.g., only pureed foods or crunchy cereals)
- Prolonged feeding times (e.g., more than 30 minutes)
- Excessive coughing or gagging during meals
- Excessive drooling or food/liquid coming out of the mouth or nose
- Gurgly, hoarse, or breathy voice quality
Program Benefits
What's in this Program for You
Who Can Benefit from Our Program
This program is designed for children experiencing feeding difficulties such as those listed below due to various factors, including physiological, sensory, or behavioral challenges. We tailor our services to meet each child’s unique needs
- Limited variety of food intake
- Excessive crying or screaming during meals
- Physiological issues like reflux or food allergies
- Tantrums when given new foods
- Refusal to eat certain food textures or groups
- Sensory sensitivities affecting eating habits
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child needs feeding and swallowing therapy?
Signs include frequent gagging, refusal to try new foods, or prolonged feeding times. Consultation with our specialists can provide clarity.
What techniques are used in feeding therapy sessions?
Our sessions incorporate a variety of approaches, including positive reinforcement, sensory strategies, and guided practice, tailored to each child’s needs
How can feeding and swallowing therapy benefit my child?
Therapy aims to improve oral motor skills, expand food acceptance, and enhance mealtime experiences, promoting overall health and well-being.
We Are Here for You
Book a consultation today, let’s create a customized plan for your child’s growth
