feeding
Helping Selective Eaters Thrive During the Holidays — A Pediatric Feeding Therapist’s Guide
The holidays are such a joyful, sensory-filled time… and for many families of selective eaters, they can also be a source of stress. Between unpredictable schedules, unfamiliar foods, and well-meaning relatives who really want your child to “just try a bite,” it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. As a pediatric feeding therapist, I want to reassure…
Read MoreFood Chaining: Helping Your Child Enjoy New Foods
What Is Food Chaining? If your child is a selective or cautious eater, you’re not alone. Many parents struggle with mealtimes when their child refuses to try new foods. Food chaining is a gentle, step-by-step approach that helps children expand their diet by starting with foods they already enjoy. Food chaining focuses on comfort, familiarity,…
Read MoreFrom the NICU to New Beginnings: Eliot’s Story of Resilience
Eliot Axt and her twin brother were born three months premature, each weighing just two pounds. Eliot’s early entry into the world marked the start of a long, difficult journey ahead, beginning with a four-month stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). There, Eliot experienced a brain bleed and underwent a patent ductus arteriosus…
Read MoreWhat is Modified Baby Led Weaning?
These days many parents are giving their babies control of what they eat at an early age. Instead of preparing separate meals and pureed foods for every meal for their baby, parents are giving them solid table foods, a version of what everyone in the family may be eating for the meal. This method, termed…
Read MoreDoes My Picky Kid Need Feeding Therapy?
One of the basic jobs of a parent from the time their child is born is to make sure they are getting enough to eat. As a newborn this is based on amount of breast milk or formula they drink and we have a little more control of how much and when our babies eat.…
Read MoreWhy doesn’t my toddler want to eat real food?
by Jennifer McCullough M.S. CCC-SLP As a pediatric feeding therapist I get asked this question often. Many toddlers ranging in age from 10 months to 24 months come in to see me because they refuse to transition from their bottle/breast feeding and purees to chunky and chewable solids. They refuse by turning their heads, pushing…
Read MoreA Sensory Motor Approach to Feeding
By the age of two, the typically developing child has the ability to eat a wide variety of food textures and usually has been exposed to a variety of food tastes.Medical issues, delays or disorders in gross motor development, and sensory processing issues may contribute to feeding disorders. Children with sensory regulation problems may or…
Read MoreFoods that Encourage Chewing
Beginning Stage: Cubes of hard cheese such as cheddar, Monterrey jack, and American Cubes of white meat, chicken roll, and turkey roll Partially cooked carrots, potatoes, green beans – cubed or cut in lengths for biting Grilled cheese sandwiches – cubes or strips French toast – cubes or strips Firm omelets – cubes or strips…
Read MoreInfant Feeding Guidelines
The first year of an infant’s life is his/her most rapid growth period. Nutrition is important for good health and growth. The types of foods your baby needs will change during the first year. A normal full term baby needs only breast milk and/or iron-fortified formula for about four to six months. Baby foods fed…
Read MoreSippy Cup Do’s and Don’t’s
Sippy cups can be a great way for your baby to transition from nursing or bottle-feeding to a regular cup. They can also help improve hand-to-mouth coordination. When your baby has the motor skills to handle a cup, but not the skills to keep the drink from spilling, a sippy cup can give some independence…
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