Does your child...?
Eat only a very small variety of foods or insist on the same foods every day.
React strongly to textures, smells, temperatures, or appearances of food (vomiting, gagging, pushing food away).
Avoid entire food groups or refuse most new foods despite caregiver encouragement.
Show anxiety, distress, or meltdown behaviors around meals and snacks.
Need to reduce feeding tube dependency and increase oral feeds
Rely on supplements, drinks, or a narrow set of preferred foods to meet calories.
Take an unusually long time to eat or routinely leave large amounts of food uneaten.
Have weight loss, poor weight gain, or signs of nutritional deficiency.
Avoid eating with others or miss school/social activities because of eating difficulties.
Need to decrease bottle dependency while increasing acceptance of oral feeds
If several of these sound familiar, your child may be experiencing a feeding problem that would benefit from a thorough evaluation by a feeding therapist.
There is hope.
Feeding concerns can feel overwhelming, but meaningful progress is possible with the right support. At The OT Table I use gentle, evidence informed strategies to reduce mealtime stress, expand food variety, and build practical skills for everyday meals. Families receive hands on coaching, clear home plans, and measurable steps, so small wins lead to lasting change. You do not have to navigate this alone — consistent, compassionate intervention helps children, teens, and young adults move toward safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable mealtimes.
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Feeding therapy at The OT Table is designed to meet children, teens, and young adults with patience understanding, and care. Difficulties with textures, chewing, and expanding food choices can make meals
frustrating and stressful for everyone. I’m here to help. I have 10 years of experience in helping children and families de-stress the
mealtime experience and expand food repertoires.
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Call for a free phone consultation to get a clear picture of what’s happening at mealtimes and the next best steps for support.
Specialized Feeding Therapy Methods
The SOS Approach to Feeding
The SOS approach is a play based, pressure free method that helps children progress through a sensory hierarchy from looking and touching to tasting, chewing, and swallowing. At The OT Table we use SOS to build comfort with food properties, strengthen oral motor skills, and support mealtime routines with clear caregiver coaching. We track sensory, motor, and behavioral factors, measure small functional gains, and collaborate with medical providers when higher level support is needed. This approach helps children move toward confident and independent participation at mealtimes.
Oral Placement Therapy
Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) is a tactile proprioceptive approach that uses targeted placement cues and structured exercises to improve strength, coordination, and awareness of the lips, tongue, jaw, and cheeks—skills that support safer, more efficient chewing and oral participation during meals. OPT is used within feeding therapy to teach specific movements and build muscle memory when traditional auditory or visual cueing isn’t enough, and it’s often integrated with broader, family centered plans so gains carry over to everyday mealtimes.
