Isn’t your baby eating everything on the plate at each and every meal? Does it seem to be your baby’s picky eating habit? Many parents at some point lament their toddler’s picky eating habit.
Signs Your Baby May not be Eating Properly:
- Is not growing nor is gaining weight
- Constantly refuses to eat or drink
- Spits up or throws up a lot
- Fusses or cries, or arches her back when feeding
- When your baby has a trouble breathing while eating or drinking
- Problem with chewing during meals
- Trouble with gurgling or having breathy or hoarse voice during or after meals
There are many many parents who find their kids notoriously picky and stubborn and they struggle, in its true term, to feed their kids and that often tends to adversely affect their kids’ health. That’s why parents should be aware of the signs their kids need feeding therapy.
When Should You See a Doctor or Therapist About Feeding Problems?
If your baby has one of these symptoms or your baby prefers to eat two or three different foods, faces trouble with gagging or are unable to switch to different food patterns, or if your baby’s mealtime is overly stressful, you should see a feeding therapist.
What if You Don’t See a Feeding Therapist on Time for Your Baby’s Feeding Problem?
- Your baby will have a low birth weight
- Reflux or other stomach problems
- Breathing problems such as asthma
- Autism or sensory issues
- Medicines that make her sleepy or not hungry
- Diagnoses like cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, Down’s Syndrome, meningitis
- Cleft lip or palate
- Muscle weakness in the face and neck
Feeding Therapy Starts with Evaluation
An occupational therapist or a speech language therapist usually conducts the evaluation. These therapists have specialization in feeding and swallowing difficulties in children and these evaluations can be done in a range of settings and that evaluation may often include a team of professional therapists.
At Hope-AMC, which is a centre for paediatric feeding disorders therapy in Dubai, you will find a specialized team of Paediatric Speech and Language therapists who first assess your child and then make a plan for feeding therapy.
A speech language therapist or occupational therapist at Hope-AMC will evaluate your baby to find out what may be causing your baby to avoid meals or foods, what the issues are, and recommend treatment or therapy and help your baby enjoy meal time. The therapists see babies with feeding challenges.
Tips for Picky Eaters
- Present food in a variety of ways
- Let your child feed themselves no matter how it becomes messy
- Offer healthy foods with something fun to dip it in to encourage a variety of colors, textures and flavors
- Cut food in shapes, arrange food in a shape or use cookie cutters
- Encourage positive interactions with food using the five senses: seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting and hearing
How Hope-AMC Feeding Therapists Help
Hope-AMC feeding therapy doctors can help babies improve their ability to suck from a bottle or drink from a cup. That will coordinate breathing while eating. With intensive feeding therapy, your baby will learn to chew properly and feed themselves. They will help your baby overcome its weaknesses or difficulties in feeding and or swallowing and make sure that everything is done in a safe way to enable your baby to get the maximum benefit from the pediatric feeding therapy in Dubai at Hope AMC.
The feeding therapy programs at Hope AMC, which often include coordination with your child’s speech language therapist, occupational therapist and physical therapist is based on assessment, solutions and continuous support till recovery.
Want to consult with a feeding therapist at Hope-AMC? Click here
