The Comprehensive Feeding Program
The Comprehensive Feeding Program at Children’s Specialized Hospital offers evaluation and treatment to children from birth through 21 years of age who experience difficulties with eating.
The Comprehensive Feeding Program aims to promote safe, pleasurable, and nurturing mealtime experiences for children and their families while fostering the progression of developmental feeding milestones.
Parents and caregivers are provided with knowledge and techniques that will empower them to engage their child in positive feeding experiences and interactions. The Program provides support and knowledge to other professionals in the community, such as child care providers, who participate in the child’s feeding experiences.
Evaluation
Evaluations are based on the needs of the child and can include either a full team evaluation or an evaluation within one specific discipline. Full team evaluations assess the medical, physiological, developmental, behavioral and psychosocial issues that can impact a child's feeding behavior. Individual, discipline-specific evaluations occur when a single area has clearly been identified as contributing to the child's feeding difficulties.
Upon completion of the evaluation process, treatment recommendations are made and strategies and suggestions that may be implemented immediately are offered to the parents. All treatment recommendations, referrals, and suggestions are formulated with the goal of establishing feeding patterns that can be maintained in the child's natural environment.
Access to Service
Based upon each child’s level of need, therapeutic recommendations are made to one of our programs. The child may be recommended for our comprehensive outpatient or inpatient program. Scheduling is flexible and an individual treatment plan will be created and implemented for each child. When appropriate, home visits, school visits, consultation, and follow-up caregiver training are available.
Teamwork
To provide a comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan for each child, the Comprehensive Feeding Program utilizes the knowledge and expertise of a multidisciplinary team of pediatric specialists. The team includes a:
- Child Psychologist
- Developmental Pediatrician
- Occupational Therapist
- Patient Care Coordinator
- Pediatric Dietitian
- Pediatric Neurologist
- Pediatric Physiatrist
- Physical Therapist
- Social Worker
- Speech Pathologist
All Feeding Team professionals will review each child’s treatment plan on a regular basis regardless of how many pediatric specialists are involved or the intensity of the therapy. This ensures the highest quality of care for each child.
For further information
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 1-888-CHILDREN (244-5373), ext. 5704 or ext. 5191.
