Feeding therapy is used to help patients learn to eat or improve how they eat. This can include patients who have a medical condition that makes chewing and swallowing difficult or even patients who are picky eaters. Experts suggest that feeding therapy is recommended for extremely picky eaters that have a very limited diet and stress around trying new foods.
“RSI offers pediatric feeding therapy for sensory integration issues, food texture aversion, and food swallowing difficulties,” said Jeff Anderson, a speech-language pathologist and feeding therapist with Rehab Specialists of Idaho who works with feeding patients of all ages at the Rexburg Pediatric Clinic, as well as the RSI staffed therapy departments at Carriage Cove Short Stay Rehabilitation, and Madison Memorial Hospital.
A feeding therapist can be a specially trained occupational therapist or speech-language pathologist.
“RSI has a number of speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists who are thoroughly trained in feeding and swallowing issues,” explains Anderson. “Since there is more than just one feeding therapist, it’s more of a team approach that enables us to be able to get ideas from other therapists about how we can integrate our skills for the child.”
Treatment can look very different for each patient depending on diagnosis, said Anderson.
“A plan of care for feeding or dysphasia issues may be to improve the child’s ability to tolerate certain textures without spitting them out. It may include being able to swallow different consistencies safely without aspirating. It may also include the child’s ability to move food around in their mouth correctly to help with mastication, chewing, or bolus control issues.”
For more information about feeding therapy at any of our locations, call us to schedule a free screening with a therapist.
