Pediatric Feeding Therapy

Feeding therapy at Ignite will address the underlying reasons a child may be struggling to consume a variety of healthy, nutritious foods. We specialize in evidence-based solutions to help you navigate feeding challenges and ensure the overall well-being of your family. No matter how “picky” your child or what challenges they face, we know that therapy can be done with patience, positive reinforcement, play, and commitment to the process. We will address difficulties with chewing, swallowing, and transitioning to solid foods. We will collaborate closely with you and your family creating personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific needs in order to achieve meaningful and long-lasting results.

Signs of Feeding and Swallowing Disorders

Your child may have a feeding or swallowing problem if they are:

arching back or stiffen when breast or bottle feeding
crying or fussy when feeding
falling asleep when feeding
difficulty breastfeeding
refusal to eat or drink
eating only certain textures, such as soft food or crunchy food
taking a long time to eat
pocketing food (holding food in their mouth, typically in their cheeks)
difficulty chewing
coughing or gagging during meals
frequent drooling or having liquid come out of their mouth or nose
presenting with a gurgly, hoarse, or breathy voice during or after meals
spitting or throwing up during or after meals
not gaining weight or growing at the appropriate rate

To help determine if your child is reaching all of their feeding milestones, please reference these charts shared by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (AHSA) which outline when children should reach each milestone.

The above information was gathered from the website of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).