Pediatric Feeding Groups
in Buford, GA

Building Feeding Skills Through Food, Play, and Connection

Eating is more than a physical skill. It is also a sensory and social experience that gives children opportunities to connect with their families and peers. When feeding challenges make mealtimes difficult, children can miss out on those experiences along with the foods themselves.

Pediatric feeding groups at Buford Kids’ SPOT give children a supportive environment to work on their individual feeding needs alongside other children who may be facing similar challenges.

What Are Pediatric Feeding Groups?

Pediatric feeding groups bring children with feeding difficulties together to practice feeding skills and explore food in a small-group setting. Rather than focusing only on what or how much a child eats, the groups are designed to consider the different skills and experiences that can make eating challenging.

Some children may struggle with the skills needed to eat certain foods, while others may have strong sensory responses to particular tastes, smells, or textures. Some experience both. Feeding groups create opportunities to work on those individual needs while also helping children become more comfortable participating in the social experience of eating with others.

Who Can Benefit from a Pediatric Feeding Group?

Each child has their own reasons for struggling with food. Our goal is to create an environment where children can work at an appropriate pace while receiving support based on their individual feeding needs. A feeding group may be helpful for children who:

Eat a limited variety of foods
Avoid certain tastes, smells, or textures
Have difficulty exploring or trying unfamiliar foods
Need support developing age-appropriate feeding skills
Have sensory differences that make eating difficult
Have difficulty participating in meals with family members or peers
Become overwhelmed or uncomfortable around certain foods
Could benefit from practicing feeding skills alongside other children

What Happens During a Feeding Group?

Feeding groups at Buford Kids’ SPOT combine support from speech and occupational therapy to address different parts of the feeding experience. Sessions may begin with sensory preparation and movement activities to help children get ready to participate before transitioning into a therapeutic meal.

During the meal, therapists can consider both the feeding skills a child needs and their responses to different food textures and sensory experiences. Foods and activities are selected with each child’s abilities and comfort level in mind, allowing children to work toward individual goals while participating as part of the group.

Helping Your Child Feel More Comfortable at Mealtimes

Feeding challenges can affect what happens at the table and how your child experiences meals with the people around them. Pediatric feeding groups give children a supportive place to work on feeding skills, explore foods, and experience eating alongside their peers.