Pediatric Feeding Therapy

Service Description

When Eating Is a Struggle For most families, mealtimes are a natural part of the day. But for some children, eating is genuinely hard — not a matter of preference or stubbornness, but a real challenge rooted in sensory processing, texture sensitivity, anxiety, or early experiences that created negative associations with food. Pediatric feeding therapy helps children expand what they'll eat, reduce the distress around mealtimes, and build a healthier relationship with food. It's not about forcing or tricking children into eating — it's about understanding why eating is difficult and addressing those reasons directly, at a pace that feels safe for the child. At Speak Easy Speech, we work with toddlers through teens who are selective eaters or have significant texture and sensory aversions — including children whose limited diets are affecting their nutrition, growth, family life, or social participation. Signs Your Child May Benefit from Feeding Therapy Every child has food preferences — but there's a meaningful difference between a picky eater and a child whose feeding difficulties are affecting their health or daily life. Signs worth taking seriously: →Eats fewer than 20 foods total or a very narrow range of textures → Refuses entire food groups — no vegetables, no proteins, no mixed textures → Extreme reactions to new foods — gagging, crying, or leaving the table → Cannot tolerate certain textures, temperatures, or smells near their plate → Mealtimes are consistently stressful for the whole family → Dropping previously accepted foods over time rather than expanding → Avoids eating at school, friends' houses, or restaurants → Pediatrician has raised concerns about nutrition or growth → Has autism, sensory processing disorder, or ADHD — all associated with feeding difficulties → Teen whose limited diet is affecting social life and independence This isn't a parenting problem. Feeding difficulties — especially those rooted in sensory processing — are not caused by permissive parenting or "giving in." They're real, they're common, and they respond well to the right support. You don't have to figure this out alone.