These are a few of my favorite things... right now

1.  The First Years - take and toss spoons/forks are the best.  They are lightweight so babies and toddlers can use them easily.  In addition, the spoons have bowls that are just the right blend of deep and shallow to make it successful for your child.

** Liz's tip: Introduce a fork when chunky foods are introduced (9-11 months).  They are much easier for kids to use and there is no reason why your child can't start with a fork!

2.  Daiya Cheese- So many kids are on special diets.  I found this amazing cheese at Sprouts (also found at Henry's and Whole foods), and it is Gluten Free, Casein Free, and Soy Free! The best part is.. it actually MELTS!!

3.  Sunbutter- Looks/tastes very similar to peanut butter without the risk of allergies.  Look for the "smooth" version to avoid sunflower seed chunks.  This is a great "first dip" for your baby/toddler.

4.  Cooking for Baby-  If you are planning on making your own baby food, or even if you just want information on how/when to start, you MUST get this cookbook.  It is by far the best one I've seen and it even tells you what spices/herbs you can give with your babies purees!!

5.  Mini Massager- If your child has tactile sensitivity (does not like textures, foods in/ around his/her mouth) you can try vibration to the lips, cheeks and tongue several times throughout the day to desensitize the area. 

** Liz's tip: Slowly introduce this by allowing your child to put it on your hand first, then ask permission to put it on your child's face.  If they don't know what's coming it can be very startling at first.

If any of you have cool feeding gadgets, cookbooks, or food to share, please do so that other readers can learn from your experiences!!

Top 10 things to remember when feeding your child

1.    Be Consistent! Children and infants learn best when the skill is repeated several times.  When you are just beginning to introduce purees, be consistent with consistency of food, type of food, time you are presenting the food, and where you are feeding.  

2.    Eating is a LEARNED behavior.  Most people think that every child is born with the ability to eat.  This is not true.  Children learn from their parents modeling how to chew and swallow.  It is important that you teach your child how to eat by over exaggerating your mouth movements and eating with your child.  

3.    DO NOT force feed!  Developing a healthy relationship with food and mealtime is a very important skill to learn.  At times, it is very frustrating when your baby won’t eat, but you have to remember not to force anything into his/her mouth, as this will make problems worse.   

4.    Listen to your gut.  You are the parent, and therefore you know your child better than anyone.  If you feel that your child is not eating efficiently or if mealtimes are stressful for you or your child, it is important that you seek out professional help, even if your pediatrician does not agree.  Early intervention is best.

5.    Watch for cues. Feeding is like a dance, you need to watch your infant and begin to read their cues for when they need another bite, have had too much, or are done with mealtime.  If your infant turns their head away from the spoon you may need to give them a moment to swallow.  Other signs to watch for are pursing lips tightly, closing their eyes, placing head on tray, hiccups, or crying.  These signs may let you know that your infant needs a break or that it is time to end mealtime all together.

6.    Get Messy! Your child should be able to touch and manipulate his/her food.  It is typical for infants/toddlers to be messy when feeding especially when they are just learning.  Often it is the parent that places significant restrictions on the infant/toddler’s active participation in mealtime, making the infant less likely to join in an enjoy mealtime.

7.    Encourage self-feeding.  It is so important that you allow your child to be independent from the very beginning.  Often times this is the key to allowing “picky eaters” to advance their diets because they are in control.  

8.    Watch liquid intake.  “Picky eaters” often drink all their calories because it is easier.  Ask your pediatrician how much milk is appropriate for your child’s age, and stick to that amount.  For this reason, I usually don’t recommend fruit juices until after 2 years of age or in moderation.  DO NOT give an infant juice.  It is full of sugar and will give them a false sense of fullness.  

9.    Good fats are essential for brain growth and development.  It is important to offer your child “good” fats (ie: avocado, oils, butter, milk fats, etc) in order to help promote brain growth and development.

10. HAVE FUN!!! Mealtime and eating are supposed to be fun.  Traditions, memories, and relationships are built around meals.  Allow your children to enjoy mealtimes even if they are having a difficult time with one or two aspects of mealtime.  

What is Feeding Therapy?

First I should say that this blog is not just for parent's with children with feeding difficulties.  All infants/toddlers go through a "picky" stage, and it is important to understand what this means, products that are helpful, tricks, tips and support to get you through this time!

Everyday I get the question, "What is an OT?" followed by "How are YOU going to get my child to eat?"  Most parents come to my office and tell me that they have tried EVERYTHING.  What they usually have not tried, is feeding therapy with a certified occupational therapist.

Occupational Therapists can help people of all ages and abilities.  We usually assist people/children with daily life tasks (ie: eating, sleeping, playing, cooking, getting dressed, hygiene, community activities, social skills, etc.)  An OT can be found in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, NICUs, private practice, and community centers.  As a pediatric occupational therapist, I help children and their families with any difficulties they are facing that are interfering with their daily routines.

Feeding therapy is tricky business, and the most difficult part is connecting with the child.  If you are concerned with your child's quirks with regards to eating and are wondering if you need to seek out an OTs assistance, the best action plan would be to get an EVALUATION. 

Feeding is an essential part of life, and when you are a parent, feeding is usually your MAIN purpose especially when your child is too young to self-feed.  What happens when your child just wont eat?!  This brings feelings of defeat, failure, frustration, and often times anger.  You begin to dread mealtimes, and all your friends/family say, "Give him/her to me for a week, and I'll get him to eat!"  With feeding therapy, you can overcome these hurdles and begin to "see the light at the end of the tunnel".  It is a slow process with baby steps and lots of "mouse bites", but as long as you are consistent and strong, your child will learn to eat new foods, more nutritious foods, self-feed, and sit at the table/highchair without tantrums. 

Stay tuned for tips, tricks and knowledge that you will not find on WebMD!!!

Parent Support

I recently held a parent support group for families going through my feeding therapy program. Most of these parents have children with profound aversions to all types of foods, and as a result these children are underweight and undernourished. Through these parents' stories I hope to assist and resolve major issues in regards to picky eating, special diets, failure to thrive, oral motor weakness, inability to transition to more mature textures, and any other feeding concerns out there. I hope this blog helps parents struggling for answers. I welcome any questions and/or comments!!