2 MIN READ

Otto’s Feeding Therapy Success Story

Did you know that there are actually 32 steps to eating? 

Helping a child touch, smell, and eventually taste food is a methodical process. Pediatric feeding therapy helps children build a positive relationship with food, one step at a time. 

For children with food aversions, pediatric feeding therapy can help them get their bodies ready to eat and build their tolerance to interacting with non-preferred foods.  

Once a typical eater, Otto’s diet narrowed to bland, colorless, and brand-specific foods. He had difficulty staying at the dinner table during meals or even looking at non-preferred foods. 

“Preparing food and feeding him meals became a burden. I knew for him to be healthy and strong that he needed help.” - Megan, Otto’s Mother 

The Heartspring feeding therapy program uses approaches like the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Feeding Therapy method. This approach recognizes that eating is a whole-body experience, starting with how a child feels about food before it ever reaches their mouth. Rather than pushing kids to eat, it gently guides them through each step toward their mouth, helping their bodies and minds feel safe and ready. 

"Think about a baby learning to eat. It's all over their hands, body, and face,” Nikki Bina, Clinical Director of Interdisciplinary Therapy in Outpatient Services at Heartspring says. “They've done these steps naturally, but tend to forget that body work step.” 

Feeding therapy has helped Otto not immediately go into a flight or fight response thanks to the strategies he's learned and implements. 

“Meals are becoming less stressful for the entire family,” says Megan, Otto’s mom. 

Children visually judge what’s on their plate and form an opinion about it. Even if they’ve never tried something before, they use past experiences to guide their habits, which can prevent them from exploring new foods or getting proper nutrients from fruits, vegetables, and protein. 

"He looks at a food and his brain says, 'no, I can't eat that' but we've worked on the lower steps to eating,” Bina says. “If his body's not ready to eat it that's okay. We’ll meet him where he’s at, and he challenges himself at a touch step or an interact step to build the foundation, and, at some point, be ready to eat the food." 

Our feeding therapy program is meant to help the entire family be successful at mealtimes. We encourage parents and siblings to have a seat at the table, because while we introduce and develop skills in sessions, these strategies require structured support to rebuild children's relationship with food at every meal. 

“I have learned right alongside my son, and I truly believe this has ensured his success in the program” Megan says.  

Feeding therapy goes beyond getting children to eat what’s on their plate. It can help them engage at mealtimes, try new things, prepare meals, and have fun with their food.  

"It's not about doing something for me in a session or to make his mom happy,” Bina says. “It's to build the foundation so he can prepare himself for meals." 

Pediatric feeding therapy empowers children to develop better relationships with food by addressing their sensory and emotional barriers to eating. By creating a safe and supportive environment, feeding therapy gives children and caretakers the tools and strategies for a lifetime of meals and memories around the dinner table. 

“Seeing Otto develop a positive relationship with food is amazing, and I am so grateful for his therapist and the knowledge and energy she possesses,” Megan says.