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The Thrive by Spectrum Pediatrics Tube Weaning Program focuses on the importance of establishing a strong foundation before expecting any progress in skill development, variety, or intake. The foundational pieces include Do No Harm, Build Trust, and Create Responsive Mealtimes. After building this foundation, you can then focus on Discovering the Internal Drives to Eat and watching […]

We know that adult directed food interactions, pressure, and rewards can be damaging to a child’s relationship with food, but we are often at a loss for what else to do as parents and therapists when our little ones struggle with eating.  Responsive Feeding Therapy helps to provide the framework, so we can help rebuild a child’s relationship […]

A common mistake made by well-meaning therapists and parents is trying to work on oral motor skill development before they work on a child’s trust and understanding of food. These programs start therapy with a focus on the “how” to eat rather than a focus on the “why”. We know that we can’t expect the skill to […]

Kiddos with a medically complex history often have many providers that each have a specialty in a different area.  In order for this to work well, there needs to be someone who can pull it all together.  In our program, we have had the privilege to work with another kind of specialist over and over.  The parents.  Every parent is a specialist in their child, and […]

Think about where your kiddo is most comfortable and feels safe…at home! Feeding therapy should take place in the environment where your child feels comfortable. The clinic setting is one of the most common and traditional approaches to feeding therapy and tube weaning. In most cases, therapy is seen in an outpatient clinic where you may […]

When your child flat out refuses to eat or eats very little it can make you worry about their energy, growth, sleep and health.  While this worry is completely normal it is helpful to keep in mind that it is also completely normal for a child to reject what is offered.  Here are some key points to […]

In this week’s episode of Tube to Table, Jennifer and Heidi are discussing the Thrive Parent’s Bill of Rights. You may have seen this in a recent blog post at Thrive, but during this episode Jennifer and Heidi will dive into more detail and walk through each crucial step in the Bill of Rights. This […]

On this week’s episode of the Tube to Table podcast, Heidi and Jennifer are talking about the “where” of tube weaning. Where should tube weaning take place? What are the pros and cons to different weaning settings? They’ll answer all of your questions and talk through the important factors to consider when making a choice […]

When it comes to learning to eat, the parent and the child are inextricably linked. Feeling safe and connected is at the core of eating, and should also be at the core of all feeding therapies that are aimed at helping your child overcome their feeding challenges. Many parents come to us feeling uncertain of their role in the therapy […]

Welcome back to another episode of Tube to Table! We are so excited to have another episode as part of our “Parent’s Perspective” series. This week we are joined by Jessica & Chris, whose daughter, Noelle, went through the Thrive Tube Weaning Program a few months ago. Jessica and Chris are sharing their story with […]

Welcome back to another episode of Tube To Table! This week, Heidi and Jennifer are talking all about love and attachment. How do loving and attached relationships impact tube weaning or your child learning how to eat? If there was ever a time that we are all more aware of building these relationships, it is right now. […]

We hope everybody is well and staying close at home, keeping themselves and everyone in their community safe. In this week’s episode of Tube To Table, Heidi and Jennifer are back together to answer a question we have been receiving from many families. Is this a good time to move forward with a wean? In the past, […]