Feeding & Swallowing Services

Have concerns about your child’s feeding and/or swallowing skills? Head over to the Feeding Matters website to take the Feeding Matters 6 Question Infant and Child Feeding Screening Questionnaire

We can evaluate and treat your child for the following conditions:

• Food over-selectivity (picky eating), food aversion and/or severely limited diet
• Sensory challenges including avoidance of specific textures (i.e. wet, mashed, crunchy)
• Difficulty with texture progressions
• Chewing difficulties including choking, gagging or coughing
• Poor weight gain or failure to thrive (FTT)
• Feeding tube dependence and weaning
• Difficulty with swallowing and/or history of aspiration
• Challenging mealtime behaviors

*We can evaluate and treat children 9 months and older

Did you know that 97.42% of children referred for a behavioral feeding issues actually had an underlying medical issue(s) interfering with their feeding?

-Field et al., 2003

Family Testimonial

Sarah has been doing feeding therapy on our child for several months now. We were working with another feeding therapy center prior to Sarah but weren’t getting the results we wanted. Then we found Sarah and it was a 360 degree change. We have seen dramatic improvements in our child since working with Sarah. Her passion and knowledge for feeding therapy is clearly seen in each session. We give Sarah a five star review and highly recommend her to other parents.

-Anonymous

What Happens at a Feeding Evaluation?

Each evaluation looks different and is unique to each family, child, and concerns. However, in general a day of feeding evaluation includes:

• an in-person home visit (if on O’ahu) by a certified SLP with specialty training in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders
• an in-depth review of case history to acquire crucial developmental/medical information
• observation of typical mealtime interaction (parent/caregiver provides and prepares food ahead of time)
• observation of drinking skills using whatever cup your child typically uses (please also have an regular open cup and straw available)
• observation of behaviors surrounding the mealtime
• observation of chewing and swallowing skills for a variety of textures/flavors (dependent on your child’s age/developmental level but ideally a range of puree, soft table foods, crunchy foods)
• trial of strategies/opportunity for parent practice of strategies
• exam of oral structures and functioning (child permitting)
• review of results and recommendations
• written assessment summary provided on the day of

A formal report will be written up and sent to your child’s referring physician. Your child’s report can then be accessed via the patient portal.

Getting ready to introduce solids?

Head over to Solid Starts to check out their First Foods database and to learn more about safe food sizes & shapes as your baby grows. Additionally, make sure you are aware of the common choking hazards to keep your baby safe.

FOOD ALLERGIES

Did you know that research now supports early and regular introduction to common allergens can help prevent food allergies (Du Toit G. et al., 2015; leurodiakonou D., et al, 2016)? Contact us to find out more information on how to get started with introduction of common food allergens.

Ready to get started?

Contact us at (808) 384.8328

sarah@feedtalkgrow.com

Providing in-person services in Honolulu, HI and surrounding areas and teletherapy services for neighboring islands