Ascend Rehab – Intensive Feeding Therapy Services in California

Feeding therapy is a specialized service that greatly benefits children struggling with feeding difficulties. At Ascend, our feeding therapy services in California services are designed to provide comprehensive and evidence-based interventions to address feeding challenges in children of all ages.

Our team of highly trained and experienced feeding therapists take a holistic approach and utilizes evidence-based techniques to address various feeding difficulties in children, such as oral motor delays, sensory aversions, food allergies, and picky eating.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the meaning of feeding therapy?
    In its most basic form, feeding therapy involves an occupational therapist or speech therapist teaching a kid how to eat or improve their eating skills. Usually taking place once or twice a week for an hour each, feeding therapy is also offered at NAPA in an intense format that lasts for three weeks and involves one hour a day, five days a week.
  2. Does feeding therapy really work?
    Although some kids struggle with eating more than others, kids can be finicky eaters. Some kids never go through the phase of being picky eaters, but others might require encouragement to try new foods. A child who isn’t eating or swallowing correctly may benefit greatly from feeding therapy.
  3. What are the steps of feeding therapy?
    The method known as SOS Feeding focuses on systematic desensitization, which divides the eating process into the following steps: tolerates, interacts with, smells, touches, tastes, and then eats. Then, each of those phases is dissected once more, requiring mastery of each minor advancement before proceeding.
  4. How do you know if your child needs feeding therapy?
    Signs to Watch Out For
    Aversion to trying new meals.
    • Having trouble swallowing or chewing.
    • Aversion to particular textures in food.
    • Throwing up, choking, or gaging.
    • Fits throughout meals.
    • Modest diet (such as…
    • A sudden and irreversible rejection of foods that were previously acceptable.
    • Unusual weight gain or loss for their age.

 

If you have any further questions, please reach out to info@ascendrehabinc.com.

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Family Involvement

Family involvement is a key aspect of our pediatric feeding therapy – with the active participation of parents and caregivers in the therapy process through education, coaching, and support. We create customized treatment plans based on thorough assessments of each child’s unique needs, and collaborate with other professionals, like pediatricians, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and registered dieticians, for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to care.

Why Choose Us?

At Ascend, our dedicated specialists focus on providing comprehensive care for children of all ages who struggle with picky eating or feeding difficulties. Through a thorough evaluation and assessment process, we strive to understand each child’s unique needs and challenges.

Our approach incorporates behavioral modifications and a multi-sensory approach. This helps create a positive and enjoyable experience for the child where they are more likely to eat. We use techniques such as “food for fun” and tactile exploration to help children develop a positive relationship with food and expand their comfort zone with different textures, flavors, and types of food.

We also utilize SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) protocols, which are evidence-based techniques that help children gradually build a food hierarchy and improve their food tolerance. And our therapists consider children’s individual challenges and goals, to create a personalized plan.

We encourage family meal participation, and our home-based pediatric feeding therapy programs give parents the tools and guidance needed to continue progress at home. We also offer parent education sessions to equip parents with strategies and techniques to make mealtimes enjoyable and successful for their children.

During intensive feeding therapy sessions, we provide food to create a safe and supportive environment for children to explore new foods. Our groups are carefully designed based on age, skill level, food tolerance, challenges, and goals, to ensure that each child receives appropriate support and guidance.

We understand the challenges that feeding difficulties can pose to both children and their families, and we are dedicated to providing compassionate and effective care to support your child’s feeding development. Contact us to learn more about how our pediatric feeding therapy services can benefit your child.

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