Essential Tools to Support Feeding Therapy at Home: A Guide for Parents

Feeding therapy can be a challenge for both parents and children, especially when children experience difficulties with food textures, tastes, or mealtime behaviors. Fortunately, there are practical tools that parents can use at home to help support their child’s feeding journey. These tools aim to make mealtimes more engaging and less stressful while helping children gradually explore new foods and develop essential oral motor skills. Here are some recommended tools and strategies that align with proven feeding therapy methods, allowing parents to foster positive eating experiences at home.

1. Child-Friendly Utensils and Dishes

Using utensils and dishware designed for children can significantly impact their willingness to participate in mealtime and explore new foods.

• Textured Spoons and Forks: Introducing textured utensils helps children get used to the feel of different objects in their mouths. These spoons and forks are specifically designed to gently stimulate oral sensory receptors, helping kids who may be hesitant to use regular utensils.
• Divided Plates: Many children are sensitive to different foods touching each other. Using divided plates allows kids to focus on one food at a time, easing the anxiety of mixed textures and flavors. These plates also allow for portion control, making food less overwhelming.
• Small, Colorful Cups: Fun and bright cups encourage children to practice drinking independently. Starting with soft silicone cups or cups with handles can help children build their grip strength and coordination, while also making the experience more enjoyable.

2. Chewy Tools for Oral Motor Development

Oral motor development is essential for children to effectively chew and swallow different foods. Providing safe, chewable items can help strengthen jaw muscles and improve oral sensory processing.

• Chewy Tubes or Chew Toys: These tools offer resistance, which helps children build jaw strength and coordination. They are safe for children to bite and chew on, offering a sensory experience that helps improve oral motor control over time.
• Resistive Chewing Toys: These toys provide a firmer surface for kids to chew on, which can help those with weaker oral muscles. They encourage children to explore textures, strengthening their ability to handle different food consistencies.
• Straws: Using straws of varying diameters allows children to practice sucking and develop important oral motor skills. You can even progress from thin liquids to thicker ones like smoothies to help build suction strength.

3. Food Exploration Tools

Helping children become comfortable with new foods often begins with exploring foods in ways that don’t involve eating. Sensory play and exploration activities are key to this process.

• Cookie Cutters and Food Molds: Using fun cookie cutters or molds can make food more visually appealing and less intimidating. This works especially well with fruits, sandwiches, or cheeses, turning them into familiar shapes that make mealtime fun.
• Food-Safe Sensory Bins: Create a sensory bin using dry foods like rice, beans, or pasta. Allow your child to explore different textures with their hands, spoons, and cups. Sensory play with food helps children feel more comfortable interacting with different textures before they try tasting them.
• Tasting Platters: Introduce small portions of various foods on a platter without the pressure to eat them. Children can touch, smell, and observe the foods before trying a bite. This allows them to explore new foods in a safe and non-pressured way.

4. Visual Supports for Mealtime

Children often thrive when they know what to expect, and visual aids can help reduce mealtime anxiety while encouraging a structured, supportive approach.

• Visual Food Schedules: Use a simple chart to break down the steps of the meal process. This might include stages such as looking at the food, touching it, smelling it, and finally, tasting it. The visual representation helps children understand the progression, making it less overwhelming.
• Social Stories/Books: Stories about eating can be helpful when working with picky eaters because they provide a fun, non-threatening way to introduce new foods and experiences. Stories can also promote curiosity, empathy, and positive associations with food, making it easier to feel comfortable trying new foods. Additionally, they can model healthy eating habits and encourage discussions about food in a way that is safe and enjoyable.

5. Mealtime Seating and Positioning

Proper seating and positioning during meals are often overlooked but can significantly affect a child’s ability to eat comfortably. Ensuring that your child is positioned well during mealtimes supports better coordination and focus.

• Supportive High Chairs: High chairs with footrests and proper back support allow children to sit in a comfortable and stable position. Being well-supported helps children focus on their food and the task of eating, rather than fidgeting to stay balanced.
• Booster Seats with Straps: For older children, a booster seat that offers secure straps can ensure they sit at the proper height at the table, with their feet resting on a flat surface. This promotes a stable posture, which aids in better eating habits.

6. Oral Motor Tools for Drinking

Learning to drink from different containers is an important developmental step for children and can be facilitated with the right tools.

• Spouted Cups or Open Cups: Transitioning from a bottle or sippy cup to a regular cup can be difficult. Start with spouted cups, then gradually move to open cups with handles to help children learn proper drinking techniques.
• Straw Bottles: Some children benefit from using straw bottles to practice sucking while controlling the flow of liquid. These bottles allow them to strengthen their oral muscles while managing fluid intake.

7. Calming Tools for Sensory Support

Children who have sensory sensitivities around eating may benefit from calming tools that help them regulate their sensory input during meals.

• Weighted Lap Pads: If your child has difficulty sitting still or feels anxious at the table, a weighted lap pad can provide calming sensory input. This helps children stay grounded and focused on eating.
• Fidget Toys: For children who need to keep their hands busy, a small fidget toy can help them self-regulate during mealtime. This can reduce stress and make them more receptive to new foods.

8. Modeling Positive Eating Behaviors

One of the most powerful tools for feeding therapy at home is your own behavior. Children learn a lot from observing others, especially when it comes to eating.

• Family Mealtimes: Eating together as a family allows your child to observe positive food interactions in a low-pressure setting. It’s important to model enjoyment of different foods and avoid pressuring your child to eat. Your calm and relaxed attitude will encourage them to explore at their own pace.
• Exposure to Food Through Play: Engage in activities where food is part of play, like cooking or pretend shopping. This exposure can build a child’s familiarity with different types of foods without the expectation of eating them.

Conclusion

Feeding therapy doesn’t have to be limited to formal therapy sessions. By using these simple and effective tools at home, parents can create a supportive and engaging environment for their children to explore new foods and develop important feeding skills. The key is to make mealtimes fun, structured, and stress-free while gradually introducing a variety of textures, tastes, and sensations. With patience and the right tools, parents can help their children make meaningful progress in their feeding journey.