Infant & Child Feeding Therapy

Feeding your infant is one of the most important tasks you have as a parent. However, breastfeeding an infant who struggles with latching or isn’t gaining weight can lead to frustration, fear, and stress for parents. With the right support, all mothers and infants can experience the joy of breastfeeding.

According to the World Health Organization:
"Breast milk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean, and contains antibodies that help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breast milk provides all the energy and nutrients an infant needs during the first months of life, and continues to meet up to half or more of a child's nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one-third during the second year of life."

Our Infant Feeding Therapy Team, consisting of Early Intervention Credentialed Speech-Language Pathologists, specializes in assessing and treating breastfeeding challenges in both preterm and full-term infants. We focus on:

• Gulping, choking, or clicking sounds during feedings
• Pain during feedings 
• Structural differences 
• Oral motor strength 
• Increasing milk intake volume 
• Prolonged feeding durations (longer than 30 min.) 
• Positioning 
• Kangaroo care 
• Breastfeeding multiples

Infant feeding challenges can result in poor weight gain and create significant stress for caregivers. Our Infant Feeding Therapy Team of Speech-Language Pathologists works closely with both the infant and their parents or caregivers to provide comprehensive support.

Our Infant Feeding Therapy Team is made up of SOFFI® (Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants) Certified and Early Intervention Credentialed Speech-Language Pathologists. We specialize in supporting babies from the NICU through Early Intervention (EI) and beyond.

We provide support for:

• Transitioning from tube feeding to bottle or solids
• Bottle feeding
• Breastfeeding 
• Transitioning to purees and solids
   

The SOFFI® approach emphasizes the importance of homeostasis—the ability to maintain internal regulation despite increasing challenges and demands—as the foundation of feeding. Internal regulation is essential for successful feeding, and our approach centers on enhancing pleasurable feeding experiences for both the infant and the caregiver.

Our Infant Feeding Therapy Team conducts comprehensive assessments of all systems that impact infant feeding, including physiological, neurological, sensory, oral-motor, motor, behavioral states, and caregiver interactions.

For some children, mealtimes can trigger adverse reactions such as choking or gagging. As a result, parents may prepare separate meals for one child while the rest of the family eats something different. In some cases, children may not be able to sit at the table with the family due to strong sensory reactions to the smells and sights of food.

An infant, toddler, or child who cries, protests, or struggles during feeding—especially if they have difficulty transitioning to purees, drinking from a cup, or eating solid foods after 15 months of age—can benefit from early therapeutic intervention.

Our Child Feeding Therapy Team consists of Licensed Speech-Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists who are trained in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding. This developmental program recognizes that feeding is a complex sensory experience and uses intrinsic motivation to help children build eating skills. The approach empowers children to problem-solve while eating, fostering a sense of autonomy and confidence.

We encourage children and caregivers to interact with food in a playful and enjoyable way. The SOS approach helps children become more comfortable with food by exploring various aspects, such as color, shape, texture, smell, taste, and consistency.

Using Systematic Desensitization, the SOS approach teaches children new skills in a way that respects their readiness to learn. Caregiver involvement is crucial, and parents are actively encouraged to participate in therapy sessions to support their child’s progress.