Pediatric Feeding Therapy | Montclair Speech Therapy

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Child looking at milk glass during meal time

What is Pediatric Feeding Therapy?

This specialized area helps children to progress with the multi-sensory demands of feeding. Sessions focus on food play, motor skill development, and when warranted learned avoidance patterns that affect diet progression.

Don’t be surprised if you find our children getting messy with food during sessions! This is all part of the process in them learning the steps to eating.

Montclair Speech Therapy’s experienced Speech-Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists use sensory play and oral motor exercises to make mealtimes safe and stress-free!

Our goal is to recognize that our children are coming to the “table” with a story and all of their previous feeding experiences. Our job is to first identify and rule out any underlying medical conditions, sensory challenges, and oral motor limitations by consulting with the child’s team to best serve the therapeutic process. We collaborate with the client’s family and care team to promote successful feeding experiences and competent happy feeders.

Montclair Speech Therapy offers an Intensive Feeding Program to support children and their family.

Swallowing therapy can be different than feeding therapy. Often times, we are treating individuals with swallowing deficits related to the oral and pharyngeal stages of the swallow. While treatment depends on the cause, symptoms, and type of swallowing challenges present, it usually includes exercises to improve muscle movement, modification to diet as needed combined with positions to help each individual swallow more effectively.

Lori Caplan-Colon has an advanced certification in pediatric dysphagia from New York Medical College, is a Certified Lactation Counselor® (CLC) certification, VitalStim® Therapy, and is a Level 3 Talk Tools trained therapist.

Intensive Feeding Program

Our Intensive Feeding Therapy Program is an established, high-frequency service with a 100% success rate of positive outcomes. Each intensive program is fully individualized and delivered through our hybrid model, bringing together feeding therapists and behavior therapists who address sensory-motor and behavioral challenges that may limit success.

The team collaborates closely partners with a child’s family, medical team, and school to support safe, functional feeding skills and promote positive mealtime experiences across all environments. To learn more or determine if your child may be a good candidate, please contact Lori.

Our Approach to Pediatric Feeding Therapy

Specialized Therapy

Our team of expert Speech-Language
Pathologists uses a multi-dimensional,
child-centered approach.

Personalized Therapy Plans

We use a wide variety of techniques,
tailoring each session to the needs of
the individual child and family.

Play-Based Activities

Our experts develop and lead engaging,
facilitative language environments that
include play and family training.

Pediatric Feeding Therapy FAQs

A therapeutic intervention for the management of dysphagia and difficulty swallowing, the VitalStim® Therapy System uses small electrical currents to stimulate the muscles responsible for swallowing. At the same time, our trained specialists help patients “re-educate” their muscles through rehabilitation therapy.