PEDIATRIC FEEDING THERAPY & LACTATION COUNSELING
Eats + Speaks offers feeding evaluations and therapy for children of all ages. Our holistic approach addresses medical needs, nutrition needs, psychosocial needs, and feeding skills to support each family's health and wellness.
WHEN TO GET A FEEDING EVALUATION
A feeding evaluation may be the next best step for your child if one or more of the following are true:
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Mealtimes are stressful, exhausting, and dreaded by members of the family.
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Your child eats a very limited diet, eating less than 30 different foods and often refusing certain foods/preferring certain brands.
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Your child gags, vomits, spits food out, and/or coughs often during meals.
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Your child has difficulty tolerating foods on their plate or the smell of many different foods.
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You experience pain while nursing or your baby has difficulty with bottle feeding.
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR FEEDING EVALUATION:
At Eats + Speaks, feeding evaluations may include:
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A parent or caregiver interview
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Orofacial exam and assessment of tethered oral tissues (tongue tie, lip tie, buccal tie)
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Feeding, swallowing, and/or lactation trials
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An inventory of foods that your child eats
You will receive a written evaluation report and a treatment plan once the evaluation process is complete. When necessary, we may also provide a referral to one of the allied health professionals that we trust to support feeding therapy outcomes. Our compassionate therapists will be happy to answer any questions and walk you though the process!
PICKY EATING & MEALTIME STRUGGLES
We know how stressful it can be to worry about the limited number of foods that your child will eat - not to mention how tiring it is to make more than one meal each mealtime. We are dedicated to supporting your family within your normal daily routines by joining you for mealtimes and exploring new foods using a systematic hierarchy. Our therapists will also provide you with videos for homework so that you can confidently practice new mealtime strategies with your child at home.
SWALLOWING & ORAL MOTOR SKILLS
Is your child struggling with the transition from breast or bottle feeding to eating solid foods? We use a responsive feeding approach along with parent coaching to build foundational skills for feeding and swallowing. Using food and a variety of tools, we will address oral motor issues such as jaw weakness, lip strength, or tongue lateralization which may impact your child's feeding. Say goodbye to gagging, coughing, choking, vomiting, food refusals, and worries about weight gain!
BREAST & BOTTLE FEEDING
We help parents navigate breast and bottle feeding challenges to reduce the stress of feeds. Lactation counseling and feeding therapy can reduce painful or shallow latches, creased or cracked nipples, mastitis, clogged ducts, long feeds, loss of milk, reflux, coughing, and falling asleep while eating. Our goal is to give you the support you need to get full feeds and support your baby's weight gain through a combination of counseling, strategies, and daily home exercises.
