Feeding challenges in children are more common than many parents realize. From extreme pickiness and sensory aversions to difficulty chewing or swallowing, these issues can cause serious concerns about nutrition, growth, and mealtime stress. Fortunately, there are proven feeding therapy treatments that can help children overcome these challenges and develop a healthier relationship with food.
Whether your child has been recently diagnosed with a feeding disorder or you’re just beginning to explore support options, understanding the best available feeding therapy treatments is key to choosing the right path forward. In this article, we’ll break down the most effective therapies and how they work — along with how to find trusted feeding therapy experts to guide your child’s progress.
What Are Feeding Therapy Treatments?
Feeding therapy treatments are specialized interventions designed to help children who struggle with eating due to physical, sensory, behavioral, or developmental issues. These treatments are typically provided by speech-language pathologists (SLPs), occupational therapists (OTs), or other certified professionals with training in feeding and swallowing disorders.
The goal is not just to “get kids to eat” — it’s to help them feel safe around food, build oral-motor skills, reduce anxiety, and improve nutritional intake in a supportive and structured way.
At My Favorite Therapists in Orlando, our individualized feeding therapy services focus on identifying the root of each child’s difficulties and using targeted techniques to promote lasting progress.
Who Benefits from Feeding Therapy?
Feeding therapy may be recommended for children who:
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Eat fewer than 15–20 foods regularly
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Gag, choke, or cough during meals
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Refuse entire food groups or textures
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Rely on purees or liquids well past age 1–2
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Have medical conditions like reflux, prematurity, or failure to thrive
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Are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or sensory processing disorder
If your child struggles in any of these areas, a personalized feeding therapy plan can help address the underlying challenges.
Best Feeding Therapy Treatments for Children
Let’s explore some of the most effective and commonly used feeding therapy treatments used by professionals.
1. Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach
The SOS Approach is a play-based feeding method that helps children become more comfortable with food through exploration. Children progress through stages: looking at, touching, smelling, interacting with, and finally tasting and eating new foods. This method focuses on:
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Reducing anxiety
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Desensitizing sensory responses
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Encouraging curiosity without pressure
Ideal for children with sensory-based aversions or extreme picky eating, SOS is one of the most widely used feeding therapy methods.
2. Oral-Motor Therapy
Some children struggle with the mechanics of eating — chewing, swallowing, or moving food around in their mouths. Oral-motor therapy focuses on:
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Strengthening jaw, lip, and tongue muscles
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Improving coordination of chewing and swallowing
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Addressing drooling or messy eating
Therapists may use tools like chewy tubes, z-vibes, or feeding straws to build motor function in a gradual, skill-based way.
3. Behavioral Feeding Therapy
When mealtime refusal becomes a behavioral pattern, therapists may use positive reinforcement and structured routines to build healthy eating habits. Techniques include:
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Reinforcing desired eating behaviors
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Gradual exposure to new foods
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Consistent mealtime routines
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Visual schedules or social stories
This approach works well for children with autism or developmental delays who benefit from predictability and structure.
4. Sensory Integration Therapy
Many children avoid foods not because they’re defiant, but because the texture, smell, or appearance overwhelms their sensory systems. Sensory integration therapy helps children:
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Regulate their sensory responses
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Tolerate new textures and consistencies
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Stay calm and focused during meals
Therapists use play-based activities to strengthen the child’s ability to process and respond to sensory input — both at meals and throughout the day.
5. Parent Coaching and Mealtime Education
The best feeding therapy doesn’t end in the clinic. Parent involvement is crucial for long-term success. Effective treatment includes:
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Training parents on feeding techniques and routines
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Creating consistent mealtime environments at home
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Setting expectations and reducing mealtime pressure
At My Favorite Therapists, we equip caregivers with strategies they can use daily, empowering the entire family to support the child’s feeding journey.
Choosing the Right Feeding Therapy Approach
Every child is unique — and so is their feeding journey. The right therapy often involves a blend of the treatments above, personalized to your child’s developmental level, medical needs, and behavioral profile.
That’s why it’s essential to work with feeding therapy experts who can evaluate your child holistically and create a custom plan that evolves over time.
What to Expect from Feeding Therapy Services
At My Favorite Therapists in Orlando, families can expect:
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A comprehensive evaluation and clear treatment plan
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A welcoming, child-friendly therapy environment
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Licensed therapists with advanced feeding training
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Ongoing support for caregivers
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Progress tracking and regular goal updates
Our feeding therapy services focus on long-term growth, not short-term fixes. We meet each child where they are and build the skills they need — step by step.
Final Thoughts
Feeding challenges can be difficult, but they’re not something you have to face alone. With the right feeding therapy treatments, your child can move from food fear to food confidence, from mealtime meltdowns to meaningful progress.
If you’re ready to explore your options, connect with our team of feeding therapy experts and learn more about our individualized feeding therapy services. Let’s work together to help your child thrive — one bite at a time.
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