THE CENTER FOR PEDIATRIC FEEDING & SWALLOWING AT ST. JOSEPH’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Is this a feeding Team?

Yes


What services are offered?

Intensive Outpatient: Once or more per day for several days/week

Outpatient: Once a week or less (overnight stay not required)

Additional information:

The Center for Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital offers a multidisciplinary team approach to the assessment and treatment of feeding difficulties. Most feeding difficulties have a medical etiology and therefore those influences must be minimized before the child can progress with their oral-feeding. Some children also have difficulties with their breathing, motor coordination, or muscle strength which may hinder their oral-feeding; these must be addressed through enhanced positioning during feedings or therapy. Even when the influences of each of their factors have been minimized, children often need to learn the appropriate oral-motor skills to advance the texture of food they are able to consume and/or be exposed to. When the child’s feeding problems have been chronic, the child may have learned to engage in undesirable mealtime behaviors to avoid practicing consuming higher textured foods or non-preferred foods. Parental involvement is an integral part of a child’s long-term success to resolve their child’s feeding issues. Parent training is provided at all levels of service. Many times parents of children with a feeding disorder require additional counseling to help them to help their child improve his/her feeding.