Pediatric Feeding Therapy
in Wakefield & Bedford, MA
Guiding Children to Discover the Joy of Mealtimes
Mealtimes should be fun and relaxing. But for many families, they can feel stressful and overwhelming. If your child struggles with chewing, swallowing, or tolerating new foods, everyday routines like dinner at home or lunch at school can become a daily challenge. That’s where our experienced feeding specialists come in. We work with children to build their confidence and make mealtimes easier for your whole family.
What Is Feeding Therapy?
Feeding therapy is designed to help children who have difficulties with eating due to sensory sensitivities, oral motor challenges, medical conditions, or delayed feeding skills. At OTA, feeding therapy may be provided by occupational therapists or speech-language pathologists, depending on your child’s specific needs.
Our therapy sessions are play-based and fun. We encourage children to explore food through touch, smell, and taste while building their oral motor strength and coordination. We actively include parents so you can learn strategies to help your child’s progress carry over into everyday meals.
Why Would Your Child Need Feeding Therapy?
Your child may benefit from feeding therapy if they experience challenges with:
- Limited diet or refusal of many food textures and flavors
- Extreme picky eating
- Chewing or swallowing safely
- Frequent gagging or vomiting during meals
- Oral motor skills or delayed feeding skills
- Transitioning to solids
- Using utensils or self-feeding
- Diagnoses such as prematurity, reflux, failure to thrive, or neuro-motor disorders
Our Approach to Feeding Therapy for Children
Our feeding team draws on a variety of evidence-based approaches, including the SOS Approach to Feeding. We take a multidisciplinary approach to address the sensory, oral motor, and behavioral components of feeding. We consider parents as active partners in your child’s treatment and provide practical strategies to make meals less stressful at home.
Our therapists are trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding. This is a step-by-step, sensory-based method that gradually helps children move from tolerating food on their plate to touching, smelling, and eventually tasting and eating new foods. This approach emphasizes exploration and comfort, which makes progress possible without pressure.
Skills Your Child Can Gain in Feeding Therapy
With support from our expert pediatric therapists, your child can build essential skills, including:
- Chewing and swallowing more safely and effectively
- Expanding the variety of foods they will eat
- Tolerating different food textures, tastes, and smells
- Using utensils and developing independence with self-feeding
- Improving oral motor coordination for drinking, chewing, and swallowing
Why Choose OTA for Your Child’s Feeding Care?
OTA has been providing specialized pediatric therapy services to families in the Greater Boston area since 1989. Our feeding therapy program is unique because it combines the expertise of our occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists, which allows us to address the full range of feeding challenges.
Every therapist at OTA participates in intensive training and ongoing mentorship to ensure your child receives the highest level of care. Our state-of-the-art clinics include specialized feeding kitchens, calm-down spaces, and child-friendly treatment rooms designed to make therapy effective and engaging. When you choose OTA, your child will receive compassionate care from experts who truly understand the complexity of feeding.
Take the First Step Today
Every child deserves to experience relaxing family mealtimes. Complete our intake form today to schedule your complimentary consultation with a senior clinician. You’ll have the chance to share your concerns, ask questions, and learn how feeding therapy at OTA can help your child develop the skills to enjoy mealtimes with loved ones.