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About Us --> Our Philosophy
- About Our Multidisciplinary Approach
- Medical Interventions of Pediatric Feeding Difficulties
- Occupational and Physical Therapy and Pediatric Feeding
- Oral-Motor Therapy and Pediatric Feeding Difficulties
- Applying Behavior Analysis To Pediatric Feeding Problems
- Family Therapy, Support Groups and Pediatric Feeding Issues
About Our Multidisciplinary Approach
Most of the children referred to St. Joseph’s Center for Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing have complicated medical, motor, and feeding histories. In order for a child to consume adequate amounts of a variety of foods across all food groups at age appropriate textures, a number of factors must be in place. The following are brief descriptions of each of the disciplines involved in your child’s care.
Medical Interventions of Pediatric Feeding Difficulties
Feeding is especially vulnerable to medical issues involving the primary organ systems that influence eating: the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and brain. Any medical problem that causes even temporary interruption or disruption to the function of one of these systems can result in a feeding problem. Therefore, we try to identify and minimize the effect of each of the child’s medical problems. Recommended interventions may include medications, changes in formula, or changes in feeding volume or schedule.
Occupational and Physical Therapy and Pediatric Feeding
Postural support, rib cage or spinal mobility, trunk weakness or muscle imbalance and respiratory issues are typical reasons for treatment. Positioning needs will also be addressed. Treatment often includes rib cage and spinal mobilization, muscle stretching, therapeutic exercises, and taping techniques. Parents may participate in some motor sessions and are often provided with recommendations, which can be practiced at home. Training of community therapists is also encouraged for continued care. Motor therapy will primarily focus on issues related to feeding and swallowing, and may not address fine motor or developmental issues, which should be addressed outside of the center.
Oral-Motor Therapy and Pediatric Feeding Difficulties
The speech pathologist works to provide suggestions to maximize the child’s oral-motor skills. Independent of the feeding sessions, the speech pathologist works, as needed, on facilitating oral motor movements and skills to facilitate improved feeding skills. The goals in these sessions always focus on oral motor skills for advancement in feeding. Speech/language therapy is not provided at the Feeding Center.
Applying Behavior Analysis To Pediatric Feeding Problems
For children with feeding problems, practicing those skills necessary to eat new or higher textured foods is often difficult. Applying the principles of learning, strategies have been used to help children with feeding difficulties learn and master the skills/behaviors necessary to consume new and/or more food, advance texture, and self-feed. Behavior analysis also aids in the assessment of feeding problems by identifying possible learned patterns, the development of treatment procedures, and in the evaluation of treatments by measuring specific behaviors related to feeding.
Family Therapy, Support Groups and Pediatric Feeding Issues
Feeding issues affect every member of the family, not just the identified patient. The family therapist meets with families prior to Day Treatment. During the first week of Day Treatment, the family has a goal-setting meeting to review what their expectations are for their child. During the last week of treatment, the family has a discharge meeting to establish ongoing treatment goals. In the group setting, families will have an opportunity to meet one another and share concerns, fears, frustrations and successes they have had at the center and at home. Individual treatment is available as necessary. Support groups take place 2-3 times a week and family members are encouraged to attend.