Feeding Therapy in Chandler, Glendale & Mesa, AZ
Helping Make Mealtimes More Manageable
Eating involves more skills than it might seem. Managing different tastes and textures, moving food safely in the mouth, using utensils, communicating needs, and feeling comfortable enough to participate in meals all involve different skills working together. When some of those skills are challenging, mealtimes can become difficult for individuals and their families.
At Arbor Therapy, our feeding therapists provide individualized support to help clients from birth through age 30 develop the skills they need for eating, drinking, and participating more comfortably at mealtimes.
What Is Feeding Therapy?
Feeding therapy helps individuals who need additional support learning the skills involved in eating and drinking.
Feeding challenges can look very different from one person to another. One person might have difficulty chewing or managing certain textures, while another accepts only a small variety of foods or becomes overwhelmed when unfamiliar foods are introduced.
Feeding therapy looks at each client’s individual needs and helps them gradually build skills that can make eating safer, easier, and more comfortable.
Signs Someone Might Benefit from Feeding Therapy
Consider talking with a feeding therapist if you or someone you care for:
- Eats a very limited variety of foods
- Avoids certain food textures, tastes, smells, or temperatures
- Has difficulty chewing or moving food around their mouth
- Coughs, gags, or frequently struggles while eating
- Has difficulty drinking from a cup or using utensils
- Becomes upset or overwhelmed when new foods are introduced
- Has difficulty transitioning to age-appropriate foods or textures
- Has mealtimes that are consistently stressful or difficult
Our Approach to Feeding Therapy
We know eating is a personal, sensory experience. We take time to understand which parts of eating are challenging for each client and help them develop the skills they need at a pace that works for them.
Depending on individual needs, feeding therapy might involve exploring new foods, practicing chewing and oral motor skills, becoming more comfortable with different textures, learning to use utensils, or participating in food preparation.
Arbor Therapy’s dedicated feeding kitchens include refrigerators, stoves, tables, and other features that allow clients to work with food in an environment similar to everyday life at home. Therapists can prepare recipes with clients and practice skills involved in preparing, serving, and eating food.
We also work with clients and caregivers to help them understand which skills are being practiced and how to support those skills during everyday meals. Teletherapy services are available when appropriate.
What Skills Can Feeding Therapy Address?
Depending on their individual needs, feeding therapy can help work on:
Chewing and oral motor skills
Eating different textures and types of food
Drinking from cups or straws
Using utensils
Exploring unfamiliar foods
Participating in food preparation
Becoming more independent during meals
Participating more comfortably in mealtimes
Why Choose Arbor Therapy?
Our feeding therapists have access to purpose-built kitchens where clients can practice skills in a practical, everyday setting. With speech and occupational therapy also available within Arbor Therapy, our therapists can collaborate when feeding challenges overlap with communication, sensory processing, or other areas of development.
Reach Out Today to Get Started with Feeding Therapy
Have questions about eating or mealtime skills? Contact Arbor Therapy to learn more or schedule an evaluation at one of our Arizona clinics.