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Is It Picky Eating or Something More ?
A
Are you worried about if child ’ s nutrition and eating habits are developing appropriately ? Typically , children grow out of picky eating as they get older and explore more foods . But if you or your pediatrician have any concerns about what or how your infant or child eats , feeding therapy is a great tool that you may not even know exists .
Melissa Rousseau is the coordinator of occupational therapy services at Washington Health System ’ s Children ’ s Therapy Center in McMurray and Washington . She has 32 years of experience and works with children from birth to age 18 to address feeding issues for a variety of reasons . Both occupational therapists and speech language pathologists are qualified to address feeding and oral-motor difficulties , and the feeding therapists at the WHS Children ’ s Therapy Center have advanced training , education , and clinical experience .
During your child ’ s wellness visits , your pediatrician will check that your child is reaching the developmental milestones related to eating . In general , they want to see that your child is progressing from bottle feeding or nursing to purees , solids and then to a variety of tastes , textures , and food groups . They also look for problems related to oral motor , behavioral and sensory disturbances , which are all issues that can be successfully treated with therapy .
Several diagnoses , like prematurity , GI issues , Autism or Down syndrome can contribute to feeding issues . But just because your child is having problems with feeding does not mean they have an underlying condition .
“ Some children come to the Therapy Center because they have anxiety issues related to food , perhaps related to events that caused PTSD , like choking or vomiting ,” says Rousseau . Some children just need a little extra help to become better eaters .
To begin the process of obtaining feeding therapy for your child , your pediatrician will give you a prescription for therapy . You will be asked about your child ’ s medical history and what types of foods your child will and will not eat along with any sensory issues your child experiences around food , like avoiding certain textures or not eating well when in a loud environment .
The child should come to their sessions hungry but not famished . You will also be asked to bring familiar utensils , dishes , and food containers to help provide the child with the comfort and consistency of having items that they are accustomed to using when eating at home . Parents are also instructed to bring in several preferred and non-preferred food items .
The therapist will first observe the interaction between parent and child as they eat . They observe breast-feeding and bottle feeding in infants and spoon-feeding and self-feeding in toddlers and older kids . The therapist observes the child ’ s oral motor skills .
In collaboration with the family , the therapist creates a treatment plan with home exercises and visits to the center . At the center , Rousseau likes to spend some one-on-one time with the child to develop trust . Then she will bring in parents and caregivers to train them on how to use the techniques and exercises at home . Consistency is the most important determinant of success .
The Children ’ s Therapy Center uses a multi-faceted treatment approach , including a gradual exposure program called Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding ( S . O . S . for short ), a technique that helps to avoid fear and stress . The therapists also utilize rewards , exercises to stretch muscles involved in eating , texture progression , and utilizing adaptive tools like special bottles , compartmental plates , and straw cups to make eating easier .
“ We always emphasize that we do it in a non-invasive fashion . Nothing is forced upon the child ,” says Rousseau .
If you have any concerns about your child ’ s relationship with food and feeding , do not hesitate to ask your child ’ s doctor about feeding therapy . The Children ’ s Therapy Center makes feeding therapy a gentle and positive experience for children and their family , with fun playbased techniques developed specifically for children .
WHS Children ’ s Therapy Center 1000 Waterdam Plaza , Suite 120 , McMurray , PA 15317 289 North Avenue , Washington , PA 15301 ( 724 ) 942-6100 whs . org
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