How feeding therapy helps children develop healthy eating skills
If your child, in particular, is fussy about new things or having trouble in the meal hour, like many families, you might have some concerns! These obstacles may bring about anxiety and frustration. Feeding therapy offers constructive solutions for these problems and helps children learn to eat appropriately. As the child gets used to these new flavors and smells, the family as a whole enjoys family meal time better.
Understanding feeding challenges in children
Feeding can be an issue for children for many reasons, such as they may be picky eaters as a result of sensory sensitivities, oral-motor delays, and/or anxiety surrounding specific textures and tastes. Such hurdles frequently result in restrictive diets, behavioural issues, or worse, deficiencies in nutrition. Feeding therapy in Orland Park is designed to address these challenges in a way that provides therapeutic support that is individualized to each child.
What is feeding therapy?
Feeding therapy is a more formal technique led by trained professionals that can help children eat with increased comfort and safety. The sessions usually take place in a relaxed, supportive environment where the children can taste the foods in their own time with no pressure. Therapists implement gentle encouragement, positive reinforcement, and sensory-based activities to promote less stressful eating.
Why family plays such an important role in feeding therapy
Family involvement is an essential element of feeding therapy success. During these sessions, caregivers are taught how to promote progress outside of sessions, reinforcing what the child works on in his/her sessions. Along with this, they also learn how to develop routines, new foods, as well as strategies to manage feelings of frustration/manage anxiety. Working together through the learning process helps nurture patience and understanding, and makes it much easier to sustain positive change over the long haul.
Techniques used in feeding therapy
Every child has different feeding challenges, so therapists use a number of different ways to address these differences. Let them warm up to new foods a bit at a time; this will help them feel more comfortable if a food tastes or feels different than what they are used to. Food exploratory games, which are play-based activities, promote curiosity in a low-pressure environment. Every method is tailored according to the child’s preparation level and comfort level.
Feeding therapy for kids: What are the benefits
Working on feeding therapy in Orland Park is more than just about eating. Family meals give children the confidence to try new foods. Expanding on their social skills is another end result, as kids become comfortable eating around other people.
Supporting long-term healthy eating habits
Feeding therapy stresses the importance of patience and persistence, as mastery of healthy eating skills takes time to develop. Families learn to avoid making food a positive or negative thing. A therapist may assist the parents with practical goals for treatment and may be a source of encouragement. Providing this support will help those kids build good habits that are carried into adulthood.
Overcoming emotional and sensory barriers
These barriers could be emotional or sensory in nature, and very often we find them among children, which makes eating an almost impossible task. Feeding therapy can help with this by presenting foods in a safe and low-stakes manner. Therapists also may use relaxation techniques to address anxiety or discomfort. Gradually, children start incorporating more new foods, textures, and flavors into their diet – expanding the breadth of their diet and increasing the quality of their diet as well.
Creating positive mealtime experiences
An essential goal of feeding therapy is to foster enjoyable mealtime experiences. They teach families how to have less stressful and more interactive meals. Small things like regularity or fun food presentation can entice children to get involved voluntarily. More good meals will mean a more open disposition to trying new foods.
A more balanced relationship with food
Feeding therapy is an excellent option for children struggling with eating to develop an appropriate relationship with food and greater table confidence. Children can overcome challenges that make mealtime a struggle with the help of trained professionals and parents. The end product is a more balanced relationship with food, revamped nutrition, and a happier dinner table all around.
