Feeding consultations & therapy

Is your baby refusing the bottle? Is your toddler a fussy eater? Does your infant have reflux? Is weaning a challenge? If so they could benefit from feeding support…

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How can get I help with feeding?

Feeding consultations and therapy are a way of providing treatment for your child’s difficulties with eating or drinking. This may be a delay in the development of eating skills such as getting stuck only eating pureed foods, or could be a physical problem gagging or choking on foods. It may be reflux related whereby your child finds it hard to feed which makes feeding stressful for you and your baby. Here is an idea of what may be involved…

Identifying the presenting issue and underlying cause which is done with a comprehensive specialist feeding and swallowing assessment.

  • Identifying your short term and long term goals for your childs feeding and developing a plan together to achieve them

  • This plan may be carried out by you at home with further follow up/support as needed with ongoing consultations. For others feeding therapy is required, this is a more regular commitment to intervention led by /carried out by me with you alongside.

  • Treatment usually always involves a degree of parent education. Feeding (even if your child is self feeding) is a dynamic process and involves the parent AND the infant or child. This is why its important to address any concerns, worries or fears you may have around your childs eating and to reframe them so they don't impact on your childs feeding experience. These may typically be worries that your child isn't eating enough, concerns about your childs growth, or fears that if your child doesn't feed or eat well in the day they won't sleep well at night.

  • Feeding consultations / therapy will be tailored to your childs individual needs. Treatments may include

    • changes to your infant/childs feeding routine (timings etc)

    • changes to the types of foods or milks your baby or child is eating or drinking

    • changes to the textures of the foods or drinks your child has

    • changes to the mealtime dynamic or mealtime environment eg use of distractions

    • use of techniques to enhance the quality of the feeding or develop new skills

  • Feeding consultations/ therapy treatments may be supported by

    • provision of recipes or food/drink modification ideas and suggestions

    • sample daily routines based around your childs typical day/night

    • modelling or demonstration of techniques to support your childs eating or feeding

I am experienced in treating all types of feeding issues...

  • Breast feeding and lactation

  • Preterm feeding difficulties

  • Bottle feeding challenges (including bottle refusal, reduced intake and extended feeding times)

  • Weaning challenges

  • Tongue tie

  • Reflux

  • Gagging, coughing and choking on food and drink

  • Food refusal

  • Extended feeds/mealtimes

  • Fussy eaters

  • Dysphagia (swallowing problems)

  • Trouble with biting and chewing (oral motor difficulties)

  • Oral aversion

  • Food phobia or fear of eating and trying food (food neophobia)

  • Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

  • Medical conditions resulting in eating or feeding issues (e.g laryngomalacia, and cardiac conditions)

  • Developmental conditions impacting on eating and drinking (e.g. Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome)

  • Tube dependency and tube weaning (nasogastric and PEG)

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Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)