the Get Permission Approach
What is the Get Permission Approach?
A relationship-based path to mealtime success
Rather than asking a child to perform or comply at the table, the Get Permission Approach asks the adult to read the child’s cues and move forward only as the child is ready. Progress is built on trust, not pressure. A child who feels safe, respected, and understood at mealtimes is a child who is far more willing to explore new foods and textures.
The name comes from the idea at its core: therapists and caregivers learn to notice the small ways a child says “yes, I’m ready” — a lean forward, a curious glance, a relaxed posture — and to follow that lead rather than pushing ahead of it. When a child hasn’t given that permission yet, we adjust, slow down, and find the next small step they can say yes to.
Our therapists will provide you with home programs and suggested tools to help your child safely follow the Baby Led Weaning program while at the same time we help to improve the underlying oral motor difficulties they may have.
Core Principles We Bring to Every Session
- Follow the child’s pace. Real change happens through small, successful steps, not big demands. We meet each child exactly where they are.
- Read, don’t assume. Every reaction at the table is communication. We pay close attention to a child’s cues around a new food or texture, rather than labeling behavior as “picky” or “difficult.”
- Build trust first. A trusting mealtime relationship between child, family, and therapist is the foundation that makes lasting progress possible.
- Celebrate small wins. Tolerating a new food on the plate, touching it, or bringing it near the mouth are all real steps forward, worth recognizing on the way to eventual eating.
- Partner with families. Parents and caregivers are active participants in therapy, not observers. We coach families in these same responsive strategies so progress continues at home, not just in our clinic.
Why We Use This Approach
Children who struggle with feeding — whether due to sensory sensitivities, medical history, oral-motor challenges, or anxiety around eating — often arrive at mealtimes already on guard. An approach built on pressure or demands can deepen that anxiety and make mealtimes harder, not easier. The Get Permission Approach helps us lower that guard. By honoring a child’s pace and signals, we create the sense of safety children need before they can genuinely engage with new foods — turning mealtimes from a source of stress into an opportunity for connection and growth.
This philosophy is woven throughout our Intensive Feeding Program, where families get focused, concentrated support built on these same responsive, child-led principles.
Helpful Resources for Parents
blog posts
Explore our collection of articles written by our pediatric therapy experts, covering topics such as speech and language development, feeding therapy, occupational therapy, developmental milestones, communication tips, and practical strategies you can use at home.
resources page
We compiled a list of websites that provide insights, therapy tips, developmental milestones, and evidence-based strategies that help children build confidence, improve communication, and thrive at every stage of development.
Help Your Child Enjoy Mealtimes
Schedule a feeding evaluation
Whether your child has difficulty chewing, swallowing, transitioning to new foods, or accepts only a limited variety of foods, our experienced feeding therapists create individualized treatment plans designed to improve feeding skills while reducing frustration for both children and caregivers.