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Often times, parents of tube-fed children report that it is difficult for their child to participate in holidays that have delicious treats such as Valentine’s Day or Halloween. Yes, of course, Valentine’s Day is full of yummy chocolate and candies, but there are so many other ways your child can participate! It is crucial for tube-fed […]

By: Evie Morse, Age 11, Feeding Superstar Most kids can quickly be born and start eating grown up foods, but not me! My mom was very sick. The doctor demanded that she should have me now, and she’d survive. It was the only way. So I was born early, but it was worth it! I […]

Virginia Sole-Smith, author of the Eating Instinct and contributing editor for Parents Magazine is the author of both of our recommended reads for January! The Eating Instinct: Virginia Sole-Smith recently published her book, The Eating Instinct, where she talks about the focus on food in our society and how food often feels dangerous when it should feel safe. Virginia […]

Play is the way kids learn. We know that linking play and experience helps to build the brain. Positive experiences with food allows the senses to acclimate to the touch, feel, smell, or sight of whatever they are experiencing. Independent play in all settings helps to build interest, confidence, and motivation. Whether the goal is greater variety or simply […]

After the medical challenges that made a feeding tube necessary have been treated, many parents are left with the daunting task of weaning their child from tube use.  However, if you haven’t been successful in working existing medical teams, it is wise to seek the assistance of programs and professionals who specialize in feeding tube weaning. Most physicians and feeding therapists don’t have […]

The Thrive team presented at the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association National conference this past weekend. The presentation focused on the three main areas of our home-based feeding therapy approach: self-regulation, the division of responsibility, and importance of family mealtimes. We discussed why these three areas are crucial to feeding therapy and how these applied […]

We all want our kids to be the best that they can be.  In fact, many families hire coaches to pump up their kids’ soccer game, to improve their free throw shot, or to work on their ballet positions.  But a baby?  An eating coach?  What exactly does a family mealtime coach do? Throughout coaching, therapists […]

“Isn’t my job to make them eat healthy?”: It is often forgotten that children and parents both have their own roles to play during mealtimes. Ellyn Satter describes the Division of Responsibility (sDOR), which breaks down the different roles between parents and their child. Parents control the what, when, and where of feeding Children determine […]

Did you ever wonder why feeding therapy doesn’t look anything like the meals you hope to have?  We did too!  At Spectrum Pediatrics, we believe that tube-fed kids need to learn to eat in the same safe way that other kids learn to eat, utilizing the same principles of healthy eating that are good for […]