Welcome to the Eat Play Love Blog!
I am excited to introduce a space where I will be talking about all things oral motor and feeding from breast and bottle to purees and textured table foods. I fully support the notion that fed is best. There is no one right way to parent or feed a child other than a way that works for you and your family.
My background with pediatric feeding:
I have been an occupational therapist for over 10 years working with children from birth to 18 years and specialize in treating pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. I've worked with children with a wide range of unique feeding needs and love getting to share my tools with families to assist with improving feeding in the home.
What types of pediatric feeding difficulties do I see?
Breast and bottle-feeding
Oral motor
Tethered oral tissues
Transition to solids
Progression with textured table foods
Selective eating and sensory challenges
Cup and straw drinking
Bottle-weaning
Issues with swallow
Feeding tube dependence or supplementation
How long does it take to improve a child's feeding difficulty?
I always tell my families that no two feeding journeys look the same because so many varying factors can impact the progression of a child's ability to eat successfully and because each parent's idea of successful eating may look different.
Early intervention is absolutely key. The earlier we are able to address a feeding challenge, typically the shorter therapy investment is required.
Various factors that can impact the progression of a child's feeding abilities:
GERD
Oral motor function
Tethered oral tissues
Oral aversion associated with early medical issues or intervention (e.g. tubes, enlarged tonsils/adenoids, laryngomalacia, etc.)
Pressured feeding
Environmental factors
Sensory sensitivity
Neuromuscular condition
Cardiac or respiratory condition
Developmental delay
With all of that in mind, every feeding journey should be viewed uniquely and each underlying factor should be addressed and managed upon identification. There is a lot of joy that can be found in sharing meals and eating together as a family. It can also sometimes be stressful, especially when our little ones are young and working hard to exert their independence and control in a space where they hold 100% of the cards.
Please know that you are not alone, and there is always help available.
Stay tuned for posts on oral motor and feeding, how to navigate feeding challenges and manage expectations.