Feeding Services

This service is designed to support children, adolescents, and young adults who exhibit feeding difficulties, including but not limited to: acceptance of small volumes, limited dietary variety, refusal of novel foods, sensitivity to flavors and textures, trouble following a mealtime schedule, disruptive mealtime behavior, and social interference (e.g., difficulty eating out at restaurants or traveling due to food selectivity). Those who experience these feeding challenges may meet criteria for a diagnosis of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Unlike eating disorders, ARFID is a feeding disorder and is unrelated to body image. Treatment goals may center on increasing volumes consumed, expanding the range of accepted foods, establishing a consistent mealtime schedule and routine, and/or improving general flexibility around feeding behaviors.

Consultation

Ages 18 months-Adulthood

2 sessions

When concerning feeding behaviors are present, it can be difficult to differentiate between typical development (e.g., picky eating) vs. challenges that warrant treatment. More, it can be an overwhelming process attempting to both decipher the root problem and decide what type of treatment to seek. Completing a feeding consultation is an important first step in determining whether symptoms consistent with ARFID are present, in distinguishing ARFID from other diagnoses that can present with feeding difficulties (e.g., ADHD, autism, OCD, anorexia, choking phobia), and in identifying appropriate treatment steps. Recommendations may include feeding therapy, referrals to medicine, nutrition, or oral motor for feeding support, or referrals for outpatient therapy to target broader concerns.

Brief Treatment

Ages 18 months-Adulthood

4-8 sessions

Interventions may include general education regarding feeding guidelines, utilization of a mealtime schedule to stimulate appetite and to help clients better attend to their natural hunger and satiety cues, and implementation of behavior management strategies to improve mealtime structure.

Short-Term Therapy

Ages 4 years-Adulthood

9-25 sessions

Interventions may incorporate and expand upon those offered in brief treatment, to also include general education regarding anxiety and the role it commonly plays in feeding difficulties, review of coping and relaxation tools, novel food exposures, and flexible application of skills across settings (e.g., home, school, social outings).