Nurturing Your Child From Inside Out
Mealtime Solutions, the feeding program at KidWorks Therapy Services is a child-centered program that will allow your child to develop a positive, healthy relationship with food and mealtimes. Our program was developed to meet the needs of children of all ages, from infants to adolescents. We believe that all children with feeding difficulties blossom under an approach that integrates the whole child - the physical, sensory, emotional and cognitive - as well as the whole family.
We include families extensively in our program because we want you to feel successful with feeding your child, with the therapist in the background for support. We strive to support the child within each family so they can develop positive relationships at every mealtime. Our ultimate goal is that your child develops a healthy, life-long love of food.
Our therapists draw from their clinical experience with feeding and advanced training in approaches developed and proven to be effective, including:
- SOS Approach developed by Kay Toomey, PhD
- Get Permission Approach developed by Marsha Dunn Klein, OTR
- DIR/Floortime
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Beckman Oral Motor Program
- Neurodevelopmental Treatment
Does My Child Need Feeding Therapy or Mealtime Support?
- Infants who have had any difficulty with nursing or taking a bottle we can help set the stage for successful transition to table foods
- Children with G-tubes or who are beginning to eat by mouth
- Infants or toddlers who have experienced reflux, choking, or gagging
- Infants or toddlers who are resisting moving to more textures or table foods
- Older children with a selective diet or who continue to have difficulty with choking or gagging
- Family mealtimes are stressful
- Children who are under or over weight
Programs We Offer
- Individual therapy with Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy
- Group therapy through our ChowKids program
- Food Science for the older child
- Parent Support through individual and group sessions
- Home visits
- Consultation with caregivers and schools / day-cares
What To Expect During an Evaluation
Prior to your scheduled evaluation, the evaluating therapist will contact you by phone to take a feeding and health history.
The day of the evaluation, you will bring 2-3 foods your child prefers and 2-3 non-preferred foods, as well as their feeding utensils, cups, bottles, etc. A microwave and toaster oven are available to warm up the foods.
Parents may be asked to stay during the evaluation. Depending on the age of the child, the parents will also be asked to feed the child. The evaluation will take approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.