Pediatric Feeding Therapy

Feeding Therapy Specialization for Young Children

Through our pediatric feeding therapy program, pediatric therapists at Munson Healthcare provide objective assessments of feeding behaviors, feeding skills, oral motor and sensory evaluation, and parent/child interaction. We work with parents and physicians to find the underlying causes of any feeding issue, so your child can thrive.

Understanding the Development Process of Eating

Eating is an important part of your child’s development process, but it is really just a new skill to learn. If your child is having difficulty learning how to eat and chew properly, our team can help. We provide one-to-one treatment sessions with a specialized therapist. Parent education is included with every session and we work to develop a positive and productive home program.

Working with infants and children through the age of four, our pediatric therapists help children who have any of the following concerns:

  • Poor weight gain or failure to thrive

  • Difficulty transitioning to age-appropriate foods

  • Significant food aversions that impact nutrition and growth

  • Consistent combative behavior or refusal to eat during feeding time

  • Bottle feeding around the clock after 12 months of age

  • Medically stable gastric-tube dependent children who are ready to work on transitioning to oral feeding

  • Babies who have had an extended NICU stay and have oral feeding issues

  • Reflux

  • Multiple bouts of aspiration pneumonia, bronchitis, or ear infections

Enhanced Services in Kingsley and Traverse City in Collaboration With Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation 

Better-than-ever specialized and coordinated care is what our patients can expect with our expanded collaboration with one of the largest and most comprehensive rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. Our health care team works closely with experts from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation to enhance rehab services for our northern Michigan communities.

Our health care team includes physiatrists and physician assistants who provide integrated, coordinated, and high-quality rehabilitation. Their expertise includes complex medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons.

Our enhanced pediatric feeding therapy services are available in Traverse City.

Early Intervention is Key to Developmental Success

Early intervention is vital to the success of feeding therapy. As soon as possible after an issue with feeding behavior is identified, contact one of our team members at 231-935-7620 or we’re happy to help process a referral from your child’s pediatrician.