Feeding Therapy
Support for children with Pediatric Feeding Disorder, including oral motor challenges, sensory-based food refusal, and significant mealtime difficulties. We help children build a safe, positive relationship with food through a gentle, child-led approach.
A few details are enough. You don't need a diagnosis or a decision about therapy to reach out.
What Is Pediatric Feeding Disorder?
Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) is the clinical term for eating challenges that go beyond typical food preferences. It is defined as impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate and is associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skill, or psychosocial difficulties. It is not the same as typical picky eating, which is a normal part of child development.
Children with PFD may have oral motor skill differences that make chewing or swallowing difficult, sensory sensitivities that make certain textures genuinely overwhelming, a history of medical challenges such as reflux or tube feeding that created negative associations with food, or significant anxiety around mealtimes that affects their nutrition and daily participation.
A feeding evaluation can help us understand your child's skills and concerns, including whether other healthcare professionals should be involved. You can contact us with a question; your insurance plan may have its own referral or authorization rules.
Signs That a Feeding Evaluation May Help
Some food selectivity is developmentally typical, especially in toddlers. A feeding evaluation is worth considering when eating challenges are affecting your child's nutrition, growth, or daily participation, or when you are noticing patterns like these:
- •Your child's range of foods is shrinking, or intake is concerning you
- •Gagging, vomiting, or significant distress when new foods are introduced
- •Difficulty chewing or managing certain food textures
- •A history of tube feeding, reflux, or other medical conditions affecting eating
- •Concerns about weight, growth, or nutritional adequacy from your pediatrician or dietitian
- •Mealtime distress that significantly affects your child's participation in family meals or social eating
A note on food preferences: Many toddlers go through phases of strong food preferences. A food count alone does not determine whether a child has PFD. If you are worried about safety, growth, intake, or distress, start by discussing it with your child's pediatrician; a feeding evaluation may also help clarify next steps.
When to call your child's doctor
If your child coughs or chokes while eating, has pain, is losing weight, seems dehydrated, or suddenly stops eating foods they previously managed, contact their pediatrician promptly. Trouble breathing or another immediate emergency needs emergency care.
How We Approach Feeding Therapy
A feeding plan may include child-led play and low-pressure exploration when appropriate for your child. The approach is shaped by their needs and the treating clinician's training.
Sessions are play-based and child-led. There is no forcing, no pressure, and no demands to eat. Children learn to interact with food by looking at it, touching it, smelling it, and eventually tasting it, following their own readiness. Parents are active partners in every session and leave with strategies they can use at home.
When feeding concerns involve medical or nutrition needs, we may discuss coordination with your child's pediatrician, occupational therapist, or dietitian, as appropriate.
What the SOS Approach Addresses
- Sensory-based food refusal and texture aversions
- Oral motor skill differences affecting chewing and swallowing
- Feeding aversion related to a medical history (reflux, NICU, tube feeding)
- Significant anxiety or distress around mealtimes affecting participation
- Nutritional concerns related to a severely limited diet
Our Approach
We work to understand your child's feeding concerns before discussing possible support. Lauren's SOS Approach to Feeding training informs her work when appropriate; care is individualized to your child and the clinician's experience.
What to Expect
Sessions are play-based and low-pressure. Your child explores food in a safe, supportive environment. We work with you to carry strategies into mealtimes at home so progress continues between sessions.
For Families
Feeding challenges can be exhausting and isolating. We help you understand what is driving your child's difficulties and give you practical tools to reduce mealtime stress for the whole family.
How We Work Together
Feeding Evaluation
A feeding evaluation may consider feeding history, relevant skills, and mealtime concerns. Ask what would be assessed for your child and whether a medical or nutrition professional should also be involved.
Gentle, Child-Led Exploration
Depending on the child's needs and the treating clinician's training, sessions may include child-led, low-pressure exploration. Lauren may use SOS-informed strategies when appropriate.
Build Comfort and Skills
Goals depend on your child's evaluation. We look for safe, meaningful ways to support feeding skills and comfort, and adjust the plan together.
Support Your Family
We teach you strategies to make mealtimes less stressful at home. Feeding therapy works best when the whole family feels supported and understands what their child needs.
Specialized Training
SOS Approach to Feeding Trained
Lauren is trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding. This training informs her child-led work when appropriate; every child's evaluation and therapy plan is individualized. Children are never forced to eat.
Visiting & Payment
Where we meet
475 White Plains Rd, Suite 15, Eastchester, NY 10709. Virtual care may be available across New York when appropriate for your child.
What it costs
Private-pay therapy starts at $165 for a 30-minute session. We discuss fees for other visit lengths before scheduling. Standard evaluations: $275–$400. See pricing details.
Baker Speech Therapy is a small team of speech-language pathologists in Eastchester. Share your child's needs and questions when you inquire.
Cigna is in-network for New York care. You can also pay us directly. For other commercial plans, we can submit an out-of-network claim after you pay us; reimbursement depends on your plan and is not guaranteed. We do not bill Medicaid or state-funded plans directly—call us to discuss your situation.
Not sure where to begin? Call 914-552-6447 and tell us about your child.
Mealtime Can Feel Different
If you have concerns about your child's eating, tell us what you are noticing. You can ask a question without committing to therapy. For insurance-covered care, referral rules depend on your plan.