Category Archives: Feeding Therapy

Increasing Awareness of Pediatric Feeding Disorder

July 3, 2024Autism, Early Intervention, Feeding Therapyautism, feeding, Occupational Therapy, OT, speech and language, speech and language authorsGuest Blogger

Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) presents significant challenges for children and their
families; raising awareness about PFD is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention, ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support. This disorder can affect a child’s ability to eat and drink, impacting their nutrition, growth, and overall development. It is defined as “impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate, associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skill, and/or psychosocial dysfunction.” Studies show that in the United States, PFD affects more than 1 in 37 children under the age of 5. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and Feeding Matters have been at the forefront of these efforts, working collaboratively to enhance understanding and recognition of PFD.

Understanding Pediatric Feeding Disorder

Pediatric feeding disorders encompass a broad range of difficulties related to eating and
drinking. These can include medical, nutritional, feeding skill-based, and psychosocial
aspects. Common symptoms may include difficulty with sucking, chewing, or
swallowing, aversion to certain textures or foods, and disruptive mealtime behaviors.
Early identification and intervention are essential to prevent long-term consequences,
such as malnutrition, growth delays, and social-emotional issues.

The Role of AOTA in Addressing Pediatric Feeding Disorder

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) plays a vital role in promoting
the role of occupational therapy in the assessment and treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorder. Occupational therapists are uniquely equipped to address the complex interplay of physical, sensory, and psychosocial factors involved in feeding disorders. Through education, advocacy, and research, AOTA supports occupational therapists in providing evidence-based interventions to improve feeding outcomes for children.

Key Initiatives by AOTA:

Educational Resources: AOTA offers comprehensive resources and continuing education opportunities for occupational therapists to stay updated on the latest research and best practices in pediatric feeding.
Advocacy: AOTA advocates for policies and practices that support early identification and intervention for PFD, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Research: AOTA promotes research in the field of pediatric feeding, encouraging the development of innovative assessment tools and intervention strategies.

Feeding Matters: A Leading Voice in Pediatric Feeding Disorder Advocacy

Feeding Matters is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding
and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. Founded by parents of children with PFDs
Feeding Matters aims to provide support, education, and resources to families and
professionals alike. The organization works tirelessly to create a world where children
with feeding disorders thrive.

Key Contributions by Feeding Matters:

Educational Programs: Feeding Matters offers a range of educational programs for parents, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to increase awareness and understanding of PFD.
Support Networks: The organization provides support groups and resources for families, fostering a sense of community and shared experiences.
Research and Advocacy: Feeding Matters collaborates with researchers and advocates for policy changes to improve the diagnosis and treatment of PFD. For example, they have worked effectively to develop the Feeding Matters Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire (ICFQ) – an age-specific tool designed to identify potential feeding concerns and facilitate discussion among the child’s healthcare team. It was designed by a group of internationally esteemed contributing authors including occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physicians, dietitians, and more.

Collaborative Efforts: AOTA and Feeding Matters

The collaboration between AOTA and Feeding Matters has been instrumental in raising
awareness and improving the diagnosis and treatment of PFD. By combining the
expertise and resources of both organizations, they have made significant strides in
addressing the challenges faced by children with feeding disorders.
Joint Initiatives:

Public Awareness Campaigns: AOTA and Feeding Matters have launched joint campaigns to educate the public and healthcare professionals about the signs and symptoms of PFD, emphasizing the importance of early intervention.
Interdisciplinary Conferences: Both organizations co-host conferences and workshops that bring together experts from various fields, including occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, nutrition, and psychology, to share knowledge and best practices.
Research Collaboration: AOTA and Feeding Matters support and fund research projects aimed at developing innovative approaches to the assessment and treatment of PFD.

The collaborative efforts of AOTA and Feeding Matters have significantly advanced the awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. By promoting education, advocacy, and research, these organizations ensure that children with PFD receive the comprehensive care they need to thrive. Continued collaboration and support from the broader healthcare community are essential to furthering these efforts and improving outcomes for children and families affected by feeding disorders.

Check out these important feeding resources that Therapro offers for your personal
library.

Gust Blogger: Filomena Connor, MSOT – Retired

Therapro is Celebrating National Speech-Language-Hearing Month!

May 7, 2024Feeding Therapy, SpeechGuest Blogger

May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, a special month dedicated to raising awareness about speech, language, and hearing disorders. National Speech-Language-Hearing Month is an opportunity to recognize the challenges faced by individuals with communication difficulties and to honor the devoted professionals who support them on their journey to improved communication skills. The purpose of this month-long observance is to raise awareness, promote understanding, and encourage intervention for those who have communication challenges.

Specialists who make a difference in the lives of individuals with communication challenges include Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and Audiologists. SLPs identify, assess, and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Audiologists prevent and assess hearing and balance disorders, and provide audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Their expertise, compassion, and commitment contribute to improved communication outcomes and enhanced quality of life for their clients of all ages.

At Therapro, we truly value our colleagues in the fields of speech, language, feeding/swallowing, and hearing. The Therapro website is full of resources dedicated to these areas!

Therapro has an entire catalog dedicated to Speech and Language targeted areas including assessments, articulation and phonology, functional language and literacy, social-emotional language, and more. This catalog is free, and available at therarpro.com!

Therapro is also the go-to resource for therapy professionals. We have a library of FREE relevant webinars such as; Elevating Articulation Therapy: Using Kokolingo for Effective Speech Therapy Sessions, Reframing Our Thinking as SLPs: The Language-Literacy-Dyslexia Connection, and A + B + C: AAC, Behaviors & Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Therapro is also a proud supporter of our fellow therapists who are writers and creators. Our most recent publication is Social Language Rules & Tools: A Preschool Curriculum, authored by Deborah Fortin, MSPA, CCC-Speech. We proudly feature the Sensory Spoon, designed by two Therapro occupational therapists and Mary Schiavoni, MS, CCC-SLP, creator and owner of Chewy Tubes. Another resource for feeding therapy is the publication Pediatric Feeding Disorders: Evaluation and Treatment. This comprehensive anthology is edited by Kelly VanDahm, MS, CCC-SLP, and holds chapter contributions from a roster of esteemed clinicians.

The sensory spoon — Pediatric Feeding Disorders

Numerous resources are available for those seeking assistance with speech, language, or hearing issues. Online support groups, educational materials, and information about local clinics and specialists can help individuals and families navigate the journey toward improved communication. National Speech-Language-Hearing Month serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking early intervention and accessing the support needed to overcome communication challenges.

As we celebrate National Speech-Language-Hearing Month in May, Therapro honors the dedicated professionals and advocates in the field, extends our gratitude, and applauds their wholehearted efforts in improving the lives of those with communication challenges.

Guest Blogger:
Filomena Connor, MSOT – Retired

Facilitation of Feeding Skill Development

October 19, 2023Feeding Therapyfeeding, Occupational Therapy, speech language pathologyGuest Blogger

Feeding specialists must select appropriate tools when facilitating feeding skill development. There are a myriad of materials available that make it challenging for therapists to select the tools that match the needs of their pediatric clients. Therapro is always in quest of useful, practical, and therapeutic oral-motor and feeding tools that will promote feeding skill development. Innovative designs are widely available to therapists and families for utensils, cups, and oral tools that are conceived to help advance oral development and feeding skills. We’ve reviewed extensively what is available to therapists and families, and are able to offer these new items from ezpz with our stamp of approval. All materials used are safe and a breeze to clean.

ezpz Oral Development Tools used for Facilitating early Feeding Skill Development

Oral Development: Oral Development Tools are designed to provide oral sensorimotor input for babies and youngsters who are beginning to explore their mouths. The 3 tools (loop, smile, and stick) are easy to grasp and provide smooth and textured surfaces. They can be used without food to explore oral movement for pre-speech activities, provide oral sensation, and can also be dipped in liquids and graded food textures to facilitate oral motor skills of the lips, tongue, jaw, and cheeks. The Oral Development Tools are a great tool for facilitating early feeding skill development.

Utensils: The Developmental Utensil Set consists of utensils for infants age 4 months+ called Tiny Spoons; Mini Utensils (fork and spoon) for infants age 12 months; and Happy Utensils (fork, spoon, and knife) for children 2 years+. The entire set consists of 7 utensils that can be used as the child’s feeding skills develop. The Happy Utensils are available as a separate set that encourage safe and successful self feeding. These utensils are a great tool for facilitating the development of scooping, piercing, spreading and cutting needed for successful self feeding.

Cups: The Developmental Cup Set is a developmental training system for teaching cup and straw drinking skills. It introduces open cup drinking for infants 4 months+ using a Tiny Cup (2 oz). The Mini Cup and Straw Training System is the next level with a 4 oz cup, screw on lid and flexible, durable straw for infants 9 months+. For the older toddler (2 years+), the Happy Cup and Straw System consists of an 8 oz cup with screw on lid and flexible, durable straw. The system promotes oral skills including lip closure, lip rounding, tongue cupping and elevation. All 3 of the cups are available individually as well as in the set.

These ezpz tools are a great resource for facilitating feeding skill development. You will be able to examine and try out these new products and many more when you visit Therapro’s exhibit at the ASHA Conference in Boston on November 16-18. We’ll see you then!

Guest Blogger: Filomena Connor, MSOTR, Retired