Feeding therapy at Rockland Dental Specialists goes beyond merely instructing a child on how to eat. Our skilled dental specialists and therapists adopt a team-based approach, collaborating with you and your child to identify the root causes of their feeding challenges. Therapy sessions may address a variety of issues, such as reluctance to try new foods, difficulties in chewing and swallowing, sensory sensitivities, and mealtime irritability. Our objectives include expanding your child’s dietary variety, educating them about the importance of nutritious eating, and enhancing oral motor skills essential for their growth and nutritional well-being.
At Rockland Dental Specialists, our seasoned team takes a tailored approach to creating a feeding therapy treatment plan for your child. With more than two decades of experience, our New City professionals treat each patient with empathy and attentiveness, always putting their health and safety first. Our devoted team is focused on your child’s well-being and ensures your comfort throughout the process.
2 Skills Taught During Feeding Therapy
We may employ a sensory-based approach to feeding during the course of feeding therapy with your child. Our focus areas include enhancing oral motor skills, addressing sensory sensitivities, and utilizing adaptive equipment and tools for fostering self-feeding abilities. A key technique used is food chaining, a child-centric method that introduces new foods by relating them to the child’s previously liked and accepted foods in terms of taste, texture, or temperature. Our specialists are certified in the Sequential Oral Sensory Feeding Approach, a widely recognized method for evaluating and treating feeding difficulties in children.
Additionally, we may adopt a motor-based approach to feeding therapy, concentrating on the development of oral motor and swallowing skills. This includes working on the muscles of the mouth and tongue, enhancing breathing and sucking functions, and developing specific patterns of mouth, jaw, and tongue movements. It also involves adjusting how a baby is held or a child is seated during eating.
Our specialists are also trained in many non-invasive therapy methods, including VitalStim Therapy, which uses electrical stimulation for muscle strengthening to assist with swallowing. This therapy is combined with active swallowing exercises and includes providing caregivers with training and education on strength and positioning techniques to be used at home, ensuring continuous progress.
The Roles Parents and Caregivers Play During Feeding Therapy
Caregivers and parents play an essential role in their child’s feeding therapy as part of the care team. At Rockland Dental Specialists, we embrace a family-focused approach, encouraging all caregivers to actively participate in the application of feeding therapy techniques at home.
Our therapists empower caregivers with knowledge and skills for home application, including:
- Strategies for adaptive feeding and general mealtime guidance.
- Techniques to manage challenging behaviors during meals.
- Methods to positively encourage the child to try new foods introduced in therapy sessions.
- Guidance on maintaining a food diary to track the child’s eating habits, responses to meals, and reactions to new foods.
The creation of the child’s treatment plan takes into account various factors, including the child’s oral capabilities (such as their ability to chew, sip, or swallow), the family’s cultural and lifestyle preferences, the child’s specific nutritional requirements, and any sensory or food texture challenges addressed by the therapy.
Contact Rockland Dental Specialists For More Information About Feeding Therapy
At Rockland Dental Specialists, our feeding therapy programs are designed with a comprehensive, family-centered approach to ensure a supportive and cohesive journey towards overcoming feeding challenges, fostering a positive and nourishing mealtime experience for both the child and the family.
To find out more about what skills are taught during feeding therapy, contact us today at (845) 400-9205 or fill out our contact form.
