Speech Therapy for Sensory Eating Issues

Recognizing Sensory Issues in Kids

Child Not Wanting to Eat
Speech-language therapy addresses sensory issues with eating in kids. However, many parents overlook a sensory issue, thinking their child is simply a picky eater. Can you count the number of foods your child will eat on one hand? Does she refuse all foods with a specific texture? Does she cry when presented with a new food? If so, your picky eater may not be picky—she may be a “problem feeder.” This is a term coined by Dr. Kay Toomey, meaning a child struggles with sensory issues related to eating. At Peak Potential Therapy, we do not take a strict, force-feed approach. We follow Dr. Toomey’s Sequential Oral Sensory (S.O.S.) Approach to feeding, which integrates posture, sensory, motor, behavioral/learning, medical and nutritional factors to help evaluate and manage children who have feeding/growth problems. This is a gradual approach that involves the family’s commitment in coordination with the therapists over an extended period. We believe the S.O.S. Approach is the best approach to help kids deal with sensory eating issues.

It can be difficult for a parent to assess when a child’s picky eating habits are indicative of a sensory issue. If you have concerns or questions, we recommend scheduling an assessment with a speech-language therapist.

Contact Peak Potential Therapy for speech therapy services for your child in the Northeast Ohio area. We address sensory and feeding issues as well as fluency disorders like stuttering, an inability to speak or make sounds, or issues with articulation and phonology. We offer speech-language therapy services at our Center in Northfield, in your home within a certain distance, as well as online for residents of Ohio.

Talk To Us Today About Sensory Eating Issues