Pediatric Feeding Therapy
in Buford, GA
Feeding Support Built Around Your Child and Family
Mealtimes are about more than getting enough to eat. They’re part of family routines, celebrations, school days, and time spent together. When your child has difficulty eating or drinking, something your family does several times every day, that can quickly become stressful for everyone.
At Buford Kids’ SPOT, feeding therapy starts with understanding why eating is difficult for your child. Our therapists provide individualized support to help children develop the skills they need to eat more safely, comfortably, and confidently while helping families make mealtimes feel more manageable.
What Is Pediatric Feeding Therapy?
Feeding therapy helps children who have difficulty eating, drinking, or developing age-appropriate feeding skills. Feeding challenges can look very different from one child to another. Some children struggle with the physical skills needed to bite, chew, or manage food, while others have difficulty tolerating certain tastes, smells, textures, or consistencies.
Feeding therapy looks at what is making eating difficult for your child and helps them develop the skills and comfort they need to participate more successfully in mealtimes.
Signs Your Child Might Benefit from Feeding Therapy
Feeding therapy may be worth exploring when eating difficulties begin to affect your child’s nutrition, development, participation in family meals, or everyday life. Your child may benefit from an evaluation if they:
- Eat a very limited variety of foods
- Strongly avoid particular textures, tastes, smells, or temperatures
- Refuse entire food groups or types of food
- Gag, cough, or struggle while eating
- Have difficulty biting, chewing, or managing food in their mouth
- Have trouble transitioning to new textures or age-appropriate foods
- Become upset, anxious, or overwhelmed around unfamiliar foods
- Have feeding challenges associated with autism, ARFID, or complex medical needs
Our Approach to Pediatric Feeding Therapy
Feeding therapy at Buford Kids’ SPOT is individualized, collaborative, and responsive to the reason your child is struggling to eat. Depending on their needs, your child may work with an SLP, OT, or both to address the skills and sensory experiences involved in feeding. Our team has specialized training in feeding approaches including SOS, Beckman, Feed the Peds, and other feeding methods, allowing therapists to draw from different strategies rather than expecting one approach to work for every child.
What Can Your Child Learn in Feeding Therapy?
Depending on your child’s individual needs, feeding therapy may help them:
- Develop biting and chewing skills
- Improve oral motor skills needed for eating
- Tolerate a wider range of textures and sensory experiences
- Expand the variety of foods they can eat
- Participate more comfortably in meals
- Build greater independence with feeding
Why Choose Buford Kids’ SPOT for Feeding Therapy?
Care Shaped by a Parent’s Perspective
Buford Kids’ SPOT was founded by a parent who understands that feeding concerns rarely exist in isolation from the rest of family life. We take the time to understand your child’s individual needs and what feeding challenges look like at home so therapy can focus on goals that are meaningful for your child and your family.
Support for Your Whole Family
Feeding challenges can affect much more than what is on your child’s plate. Our wraparound approach means families can also turn to us for help navigating community resources, waivers, durable medical equipment, school advocacy, and other support systems when their child has needs beyond feeding therapy.
A Consistent Therapist Who Knows Your Child
Whenever possible, your child will see the same therapist on the same day and at the same time each week, giving them the opportunity to build a relationship with someone who understands their needs, recognizes their progress, and can meet them where they are.
Let’s Make Mealtimes Feel More Manageable
When eating is difficult for your child, it can affect the whole family. If you’re concerned about what, how, or how much your child eats, contact Buford Kids’ SPOT. We’ll listen to what you’re seeing, learn more about your child, and help you determine the right next step.