Kaliyah Burris, MS, OTR/L is trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding, a developmental and sensory-based approach that looks at the whole child when understanding feeding challenges.
Rather than focusing only on whether a child will eat a particular food, we consider the many steps and skills involved in eating. For some children, progress may begin with simply feeling comfortable having a new food nearby. From there, they may explore how it looks, smells, feels, or tastes while gradually building confidence and skills around eating.
No pressure. No “just take one bite.” Lots of learning through exploration, play, and positive experiences with food.
Helping children become more comfortable, curious & confident around food. 🍓
Mealtimes are about so much more than simply taking a bite. Eating involves ALL of our senses, motor skills, body awareness and adequate posture strength/tone, comfort, routines, and past experiences with food. When some of those pieces don’t come together easily, eating can become challenging—and mealtimes can quickly become stressful for both children and their families.
At Spectacular Kids Occupational Therapy, we take a playful, supportive approach to helping children build the skills, comfort, and confidence needed to explore food and participate more successfully in mealtimes.
🥑 Could Feeding Therapy Help?
Feeding support may be helpful for children who:
Eat a very limited variety of foods
Strongly prefer certain brands, textures, colors, or presentations
Avoid entire food groups or textures
Become upset or anxious around unfamiliar foods
Have difficulty participating in family meals
Gag or have strong sensory responses to certain foods
Have difficulty chewing or managing different textures
Are hesitant to touch, smell, taste, or interact with unfamiliar foods
Experience mealtimes that have become stressful or challenging
🌈 How We Support Children & Families
Feeding therapy isn't just about what happens during an OT session.
We work closely with families to better understand why eating may be challenging, establish meaningful and realistic goals, and find strategies that can carry over into everyday meals and routines.
Depending on your child's individual needs, sessions may incorporate sensory exploration, food play, gradual exposure to new foods, feeding and oral-motor skills, and positive mealtime experiences.
The goal isn't to force foods or create a “perfect eater.” It's to help children feel safer, more comfortable, more curious, and more confident around food while building the skills needed for successful eating.
🍉 Small Steps. Meaningful Progress.
Progress with feeding can look different for every child.
Sometimes it's tolerating a new food on the table. Touching something unfamiliar. Exploring a new texture. Taking a taste. Adding a new food to their routine. Or simply sitting at the table with a little less stress.
Every step counts—and we're here to help make those steps feel achievable.
Have questions about your child's eating or wondering whether feeding therapy may be a good fit?
Contact Kaliyah to learn more about feeding therapy at Spectacular Kids Occupational Therapy.