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Pediatric Feeding and Nutrition Program at Spaulding Outpatient Center for Children Salem
In addition to providing core therapy services to children and adolescents, we also offer a Feeding and Nutrition Program designed to benefit infants and children who develop feeding difficulties due to a variety of conditions or circumstances, including:
- Mouth or throat weakness causing choking, gagging or coughing
- Reduced muscle control, neurological disorders
- Medical complications, prematurity, cardiac conditions, traumatic injury
- Non-oral feedings
- Growth and weight problems, malnutrition
- Chronic respiratory issues, reflux, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea
- Metabolic disturbances, food allergies
- Behavioral issues, autism, ADD
- Sensory integration disorders
- Extreme selectivity and food refusal
- Under-eating or over-eating
- Food anxieties or aversions
- Facial, oral, dental, pharyngeal anomalies
Spaulding's Approach to the Pediatric Feeding and Nutrition Program
The program is led by a team of experts that includes a gastroenterologist, registered dietitian and physical, occupational and speech therapists, all specially trained in feeding and swallowing disorders.
Through a comprehensive evaluation we will:
- Work with you to understand the feeding issues your seeing and gather information about your child's birth, growth and dietary history
- Watch how your child eats and generally behaves with and around food
- Perform a general health and medical assessment, including weight and height
- Assess oral-sensorimotor, swallowing, feeding skills and digestive status
- Evaluate motor control and position when eating
- Examine neuro-developmental milestones, as well as social and cognitive skills
Once specific underlying causes for your child’s feeding and nutrition problems are identified, we will prepare an individualized, family-focused treatment program to make sure your child is getting the nutrition he or she needs and is on the right track for a lifetime of healthy eating.