Specialty Service
Feeding & Swallowing Disorders
From picky eating to swallowing difficulties — compassionate, sensory-based therapy that helps children and adults develop a safe, positive relationship with food.
Understanding the Condition
What are feeding and swallowing disorders?
Feeding disorders and swallowing disorders (dysphagia) affect the ability to eat and drink safely and comfortably. In children, feeding difficulties can range from extreme picky eating and texture aversions to oral motor delays that make chewing and swallowing difficult. In adults, dysphagia is often caused by stroke, neurological conditions, head and neck surgery, or aging.
Pediatric feeding disorders are more than just "being a picky eater." When a child refuses most foods, gags at new textures, has meltdowns at mealtime, or is not gaining weight appropriately, there is typically an underlying cause — sensory processing differences, oral motor weakness, a negative history with food (such as reflux or tube feeding), or a combination of factors. These children are not being difficult — their nervous system is genuinely telling them that eating is uncomfortable, scary, or overwhelming.
Adult dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that can affect any phase of the swallow — from the oral phase (chewing and moving food to the back of the mouth) to the pharyngeal phase (triggering the swallow reflex and protecting the airway) to the esophageal phase (moving food to the stomach). Dysphagia can lead to aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and dehydration if left untreated.
Speech-language pathologists are the primary professionals who evaluate and treat both pediatric feeding disorders and adult dysphagia. We assess the underlying causes, develop an individualized treatment plan, and work with the family or medical team to ensure safe, effective nutrition.
Pediatric Signs
Signs of feeding difficulties in children
- Refusing entire food groups or textures (only eating purees, only crunchy foods, etc.)
- Gagging, retching, or vomiting at the sight, smell, or texture of certain foods
- Extremely limited diet — eating fewer than 20 foods
- Mealtime tantrums, crying, or avoidance behaviors
- Difficulty transitioning from breast/bottle to purees, or from purees to solids
- Pocketing food in cheeks or taking an unusually long time to chew and swallow
- Coughing, choking, or frequent congestion during or after meals
- Poor weight gain or falling off the growth curve
- Difficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing, and breathing (in infants)
Adult Signs
Signs of swallowing difficulties in adults
- Coughing or throat clearing during or after eating or drinking
- Feeling of food getting stuck in the throat
- Pain when swallowing (odynophagia)
- Unexplained weight loss or dehydration
- Recurrent pneumonia or respiratory infections
- Wet or gurgly voice quality after eating or drinking
- Difficulty managing saliva or medications
- Avoidance of certain food textures or consistency
Our Approach
How we treat feeding and swallowing disorders
SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach
A systematic, play-based feeding therapy that helps children learn to interact with new foods through a hierarchy of steps — tolerating, touching, smelling, tasting, and eating — without pressure or force.
Sensory-Based Feeding Therapy
Addressing the sensory factors (texture aversions, oral hypersensitivity, smell sensitivity) that drive food refusal. We gradually desensitize and build tolerance in a safe, child-led environment.
Oral Motor Therapy
Strengthening and coordinating the muscles used for chewing and swallowing. For children with weak oral motor skills, this is essential for safely managing age-appropriate food textures.
Dysphagia Management
For adults with swallowing disorders, we assess swallow function, recommend safe diet modifications, teach compensatory swallowing strategies, and provide exercises to improve swallow strength and coordination.
Our feeding therapy is never forceful. We do not force children to eat, hold their heads, or use negative pressure. We create a safe, positive mealtime environment where children can explore food at their own pace. We coach families on how to reduce mealtime stress, set up the environment for success, and gradually expand their child's diet — one small step at a time.
Who We Help
All ages
We serve children from infancy through adolescence who struggle with feeding, including infants with difficulty transitioning from breast or bottle, toddlers with extreme food selectivity, and older children who have never been able to tolerate age-appropriate textures.
For adults, we provide dysphagia evaluation and treatment for individuals recovering from stroke, managing Parkinson's disease, undergoing cancer treatment affecting swallowing, or experiencing age-related swallowing decline. We work with your medical team to ensure safe, effective management of your swallowing needs.
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Schedule a feeding evaluation
Struggling with mealtimes or concerned about swallowing safety? Contact us for an evaluation and let us develop a plan to help.