ALOHA SPEECH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Providing high-quality therapeutic services to children while supporting and empowering parents and caregivers through education and participation in treatment sessions.
M-F: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (by appointments only)
FEEDING THERAPY
WHAT IS FEEDING THERAPY?
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Feeding therapy is specific to the needs of each child and family that we work with and is approached on a case by case basis.
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At Aloha, we utilize a play-based approach to feeding therapy, which current research shows is an effective way of facilitating a more positive relationship with food and mealtimes and improving overall outcomes of feeding therapy.
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Feeding therapy can help remediate picky eating, food aversions, and behaviors during mealtime routine(s) using a positive, play-based approach.
WHAT DOES A FEEDING THERAPY SESSION LOOK LIKE?
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A feeding therapy session may look different from child to child depending on the specific feeding challenges of the child and family and the specialized goals to work towards.
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The first few sessions of feeding therapy may look like just "playing" with the food, which can help the child get comfortable with the food and build a positive relationship with food and mealtimes.
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"Food chaining" is often used in feeding therapy to help a child chain from a highly preferred food to a non-preferred or more challenging food. This method takes a food that your child is already eating and identifies new foods that are similar in color, texture, shape, smell, or taste to offer for the child to try. The more similar the new food, the higher the likelihood that your child will want to try it!
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Feeding therapy is also useful in working on adaptive and beneficial mealtime strategies when mealtimes are a struggle for your child and family at home.
Call or email us for more information regarding feeding therapy or to set up a feeding therapy evaluation!