Feeding Therapy
Supporting kids who are picky eaters, problem feeders or who have medically-based feeding challenges
Feeding Therapy
Supporting kids who are picky eaters, problem feeders or who have medically-based feeding challenges
About Feeding Therapy
Westside utilizes a multi-disciplinary program for assessing and treating children with feeding difficulties. Our treatment interventions integrate posture, sensory, motor, behavioral/learning, oral motor, medical and nutritional factors to evaluate and manage children with feeding/growth concerns. Parent education and participation is an integral part of our therapy.
We never forget that a kid is a kid by ensuring feeding therapy is fun, safe, and inviting. Our expectation: life-changing results.
Our Specializations
Picky Eaters
Poor Weight Gain or Weight Loss
Choking/Gagging During Mealtimes
Respiratory Problems Due to Poor Breathing-Eating Coordination
Bottle Feeding Transitions
Inability to Transition to Pureed Foods By 10 Months
Inability to Transition to Solid Foods By 12 Months
Aversion to or avoidance of an entire food group or texture group
Nasal Reflux
Aversion/avoidance of entire food or texture groups
Crying and/or arching at most meals (infants)
Infant Feeding (0-24 months)
Vomiting
What our Feeding Therapy Looks Like
Evaluation
Feeding Therapy begins with an evaluation from a clinician. This evaluation informs you on the recommended frequency of appointments and the areas of concern therapy will address.
Sessions
Feeding Therapy sessions are 1-on-1 and take place in our clinics. Our clinics are designed to be kid-friendly (rockwalls, ball pits, jumping ledges, etc.), where kids have such a blast that they forget that they are in therapy. It is a refreshing change from a boring medical office.
Achieving Outcomes
Our therapists are overseen by Directors, who are highly respected, veteran therapists. Their job is to mentor therapists and ensure every child is achieving life-changing results.
Everything you need to know about Feeding Therapy
Why is Westside considered the best provider?
There are many reasons from low staff turnover to having over 800+ pediatricians referring to us for services. Above all is our parents’ feedback.
Every parent is sent a survey at the beginning, middle, and end of their therapy services. It asks: “On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to refer Westside to your friends and family.” Here is what parents say:
- Average Beginning Score: 9.71/10
- Average Middle Score: 9.83/10
- Average End Score: 9.89/10
This is exactly why Westside is deemed the best.
What does Feeding Therapy cost?
While cost varies by insurance plan, number of therapy hours, and other factors, we still inform you on what you’ll expect to pay.
We have built a sophisticated cost calculator that looks at 19 factors that impact cost. When we run it, it shows you a week-by-week prediction of cost.
This estimate occurs after your evaluation once we know the frequency of therapy. All of you do is provide us with your insurance plan details, and we handle the rest.
Which insurances do you accept?
What types of Feeding Therapy does Westside have?
We offer 2 types of feeding therapy – (1) Picky Eating and (2) Medically-Based.
The first type of feeding therapy is for picky eaters. This therapy is conducted by SOS-trained (Sequential Oral Sensory) speech or occupational therapists. The goal of this therapy is to reduce mealtime aversions and increase overall food repertoire for proper nutritional intake.
The second type of feeding therapy is for children with medically-based feeding conditions. Feeding therapy for this area focuses on increasing safe oral intake, reducing aspiration risk, increasing weight gain and food tolerance, increasing motor skills, and aiding in acquiring age appropriate feeding milestones in infancy through 18 years of age.
How long will my child be in therapy?
Graduating kids from therapy is our goal. It means that we did our job and that the child’s concerns have been addressed. We do everything we can to achieve progress as quick as possible. There is ongoing communication between the family and the therapist on the child’s progress. When it is agreed that the concerns have been fully addressed, it is time to graduate AND celebrate!
What is Westside’s ‘Food School’?
Food School is a 12-week feeding therapy program that uses the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) intervention technique. The program focuses on helping our picky eater kids add new foods to their repertoire, making mealtimes at home go smoother, and become more nutritious.
Which age ranges do you treat?
At Westside, we generally treat children 0-18 years old. Our therapists are trained to work to work with kids, toddlers, and teens.
Feeding Therapy Clinics
We offer in-clinic therapy not only because the research indicates strong clinical results but also because it fosters a community of support for our families.
We locate our Feeding Therapy centers near you! We have locations in Willowbrook, Schaumburg, Orland Park, Downers Grove, Plainfield, Joliet, Shorewood, Frankfort, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Tinley Park, New Lenox, Carol Stream, Oak Lawn, Naperville, Homer Glen, in-home ABA services in the Rockford and DeKalb areas, and a headquarters office in Mokena.
If you take a look at our Feeding Therapy centers, you will see why kids excitedly run through our doors when they arrive for therapy.