Does Your Child Have Feeding Difficulties?
We Can Help.
At The Pediatric Place, we understand that feeding problems and failure to thrive (FTT) can be stressful and confusing for parents. Our team of pediatric therapists is here to help your child reach their full potential with personalized care and a commitment to providing the best possible care we can.
The Pediatric Place is proud to bring together passionate pediatric therapists creating a feeding team to address FTT. The team may consist of a pediatric speech therapist, occupational therapist, and registered dietitian. The team evaluates your child with a holistic approach.
Collaborative Care
- Team Approach: The Pediatric Place’ feeding team work together to address all aspects of the child’s care and ensure a comprehensive approach to managing FTT.
- Family Involvement: Educating and involving the family in the therapy process is crucial. The therapy team provides strategies and recommendations for parents to implement at home to support the child’s feeding and swallowing development.
- Regular Follow-Ups: The feeding team schedules regular follow-up appointments to monitor the child’s progress, adjust therapy goals and techniques as needed, and ensure continued improvement in feeding and swallowing skills.
- Growth Tracking: The registered dietitian collaborates with other professionals to track the child’s growth and ensure that improvements in feeding and swallowing contribute to better overall growth and development.
- Medical Conditions: If FTT is related to underlying medical conditions affecting feeding and swallowing (e.g., gastroesophageal reflux, oral anomalies), the feeding team works to manage these conditions within the scope of their practice and coordinates with other specialists as referrals are needed.
Here are ways our registered dietitian can help your child with FTT:
Comprehensive Assessment
- Nutritional Assessment: The RD evaluates the child’s current diet, eating habits, and nutritional intake to identify any deficiencies or imbalances.
- Growth Monitoring: The dietitian reviews growth charts and developmental milestones to understand the extent and pattern of the child’s growth issues.
- Medical History Review: The RD considers any medical conditions, allergies, or medications that might impact the child’s nutritional status and growth.
Individualized Nutrition Plan
- Customized Diet Plan: Based on the assessment, the dietitian creates a personalized nutrition plan that meets the child’s specific needs, including caloric and nutrient requirements.
- Fortified Foods and Supplements: The RD may recommend calorie-dense and nutrient-rich foods, or supplements, to help the child gain weight and improve nutritional intake.
Addressing Feeding Issues
- Feeding Strategies: The dietitian works with the family to develop strategies for improving feeding, which may include advice on meal frequency, portion sizes, and feeding techniques.
- Texture and Consistency: For children with feeding difficulties, the RD can suggest appropriate textures and consistencies of foods to facilitate easier eating and digestion.
Education and Support
- Parental Education: The RD educates parents on proper nutrition, meal planning, and ways to incorporate healthy foods into the child’s diet.
- Behavioral Strategies: The dietitian provides guidance on managing picky eating or feeding challenges, including how to encourage positive eating behaviors and address mealtime struggles.
Monitoring and Follow-Up
- Regular Check-Ups: The dietitian schedules follow-up appointments to monitor the child’s progress, assess the effectiveness of the nutrition plan, and make necessary adjustments.
- Adjustments to Plan: As the child grows and develops, the RD updates the nutrition plan to align with changing needs and goals.
Addressing Underlying Causes
- Medical Conditions: If FTT is related to a medical condition (e.g., gastrointestinal issues, metabolic disorders), the dietitian works to manage the nutritional aspects of that condition.
- Psychosocial Factors: The RD may also consider psychosocial factors that impact eating, such as stress or family dynamics, and provide support or referrals as needed.
Promoting Healthy Growth
- Balanced Nutrition: The dietitian ensures the child receives a balanced intake of essential nutrients, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, to support healthy growth and development.
- Growth Tracking: Regular tracking of the child’s weight, height, and overall growth helps gauge the effectiveness of the nutrition plan and make timely adjustments.
A speech therapist can play a significant role in addressing issues related to failure to thrive (FTT), especially when feeding and swallowing difficulties are contributing factors.
Here’s how a speech therapist can help:
Assessment of Feeding and Swallowing
- Evaluation: The speech therapist conducts a detailed assessment of the child’s feeding and swallowing abilities. This includes observing how the child eats, drinks, and swallows, and identifying any difficulties or inefficiencies.
- Oral Motor Skills: The therapist evaluates the child’s oral motor skills, including muscle strength, coordination, and control necessary for effective feeding.
Development of Feeding Strategies
- Feeding Techniques: The speech therapist provides guidance on appropriate feeding techniques, including how to position the child and how to use utensils or bottles to facilitate easier and more efficient feeding.
- Texture Modification: Recommendations on modifying the texture and consistency of foods and liquids to match the child’s swallowing abilities can help prevent choking and ensure adequate intake.
Oral Motor Therapy
- Exercises: The therapist may use specific oral motor exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in chewing and swallowing, improve coordination, and enhance overall oral function.
- Sensory Stimulation: Techniques to improve sensory processing in the mouth can help the child become more comfortable with different textures and tastes.
Swallowing Therapy
- Swallowing Techniques: The speech therapist teaches techniques to improve the safety and efficiency of swallowing, which may include strategies for better bolus control and swallowing reflexes.
- Postural Adjustments: The therapist may recommend specific postures or positions during feeding to optimize swallowing and reduce the risk of aspiration (food or liquid entering the airway).
An occupational therapist (OT) can assist in treating a child with failure to thrive (FTT) by addressing various aspects related to the child’s development, daily functioning, and feeding issues.
Here’s how an OT can contribute to the management and treatment of FTT:
- Developmental Assessment: The OT evaluates the child’s overall development, including motor skills, sensory processing, and self-care abilities, to identify any areas that may be impacting growth and development.
- Feeding and Eating Habits: The OT assesses the child’s feeding patterns, including their ability to manage different food textures, utensils, and overall mealtime behavior.
- Sensory Integration: For children who are sensitive to certain textures or tastes, the OT may use sensory integration techniques to help them become more comfortable with different foods and improve their feeding experience.
- Stimulating Oral Sensory Processing: Activities to improve oral sensory processing can help the child tolerate a wider variety of textures and flavors.
- Fine Motor Skills: The OT works on fine motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination and dexterity, which are important for self-feeding and managing utensils.
- Gross Motor Skills: Improving gross motor skills, such as posture and trunk control, can support better positioning during feeding and overall growth.
- Promoting Independence: The OT helps the child develop self-care skills, including dressing, grooming, and toileting, which can support overall independence and contribute to better growth and development.
- Adaptive Strategies: For children with difficulties in self-care tasks, the OT provides adaptive strategies and tools to make these tasks more manageable.
- Creating a Supportive Environment: The OT recommends modifications to the child’s environment to make feeding and daily activities more accessible and enjoyable. This may include adjusting seating, using specialized utensils, or creating a calming mealtime environment.
- Addressing Sensory Issues: The OT helps manage sensory processing difficulties that may impact feeding and overall well-being. Techniques may include sensory diets or sensory integration activities.
- Behavioral Techniques: The OT provides strategies to address any behavioral issues related to feeding, such as food aversions or mealtime anxiety.
What is Failure to Thrive?
FTT is a term used when a child falls below expected growth charts for weight and height. Failure to thrive can happen due to various factors affecting their ability to consume or absorb nutrients, including:
Nutritional Issues:
- Not getting enough calories or nutrients, difficulty breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, or problems transitioning to solid foods.
Medical Conditions:
- Chronic illnesses, digestive problems, or hormonal imbalances.
Environmental Factors:
- Emotional stress, neglect, or poverty.
Signs of Failure to Thrive:
- Poor weight gain or weight loss
- Difficulty sucking, swallowing, or chewing
- Frequent spitting up or vomiting
- Picky eating or refusing to eat
- Lack of interest in feeding or mealtimes
- Irritability or fussiness during feeding
Common Causes of Feeding Problems
Medical conditions:
Gastrointestinal issues, chronic illnesses, or oral motor difficulties can make eating uncomfortable or challenging.
Sensory sensitivities:
Some children may be overly sensitive to textures, tastes, or food smells.
Feeding difficulties:
Latching problems, weak sucking reflex, or difficulty transitioning to solid foods can lead to insufficient intake.
Behavioral factors:
Picky eating, food refusal, or distractions at mealtime can affect proper nutrition.
How The Pediatric Place Can Help
We start with a comprehensive assessment of your child’s physical development, oral motor skills, feeding skills, and any underlying medical conditions. We offer a variety of therapies to address these challenges, including:
Feeding therapy techniques:
Our therapists use various techniques to make mealtimes more positive, improve oral motor skills, and encourage your child to explore new foods.
Nutritional guidance:
We collaborate with other healthcare practitioners providers to ensure that your child receives the right nutrients for healthy growth.
Family support:
We provide guidance and support to parents and caregivers on strategies for successful feeding practices at home.
Benefits of Early Intervention
Early intervention is crucial for addressing feeding problems and FTT. By working with our therapists, you can help your child:
- Gain weight and grow at a healthy pace
- Develop strong oral motor skills for eating and speaking
- Overcome negative feeding experiences
- Build positive associations with mealtimes
Take the Next Steps to Get the Help You Need
If you’re concerned about your child’s growth or feeding habits, don’t hesitate to contact The Pediatric Place today. Remember, you are not alone in this journey. Together, we can create a plan to help your child thrive!
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Meet Our Multidisciplinary Team
Receive a Seamless Treatment Plan
Start to See Success and Growth!