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Nurturing Healthier Eating Patterns in Children Through Feeding Therapy at SpeakUp Centre

Eating may seem like a natural activity, but for many children and adults, it can be one of the most complex challenges they face. Difficulty chewing, swallowing, managing different textures, or even tolerating the smell or sight of certain foods can affect nutrition, growth, and overall quality of life.

At SpeakUp Centre, feeding therapy is not an add-on—it’s a specialized, structured approach designed to address the root of these challenges. Our therapists are trained in feeding therapy, offering support that is both compassionate and clinically grounded. Whether you’re a parent navigating feeding difficulties with a toddler or an adult recovering from oral-motor limitations, we tailor every plan to the individual.

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Why Feeding Difficulties Happen

Feeding is one of the most complex tasks the body learns — requiring coordination across muscles, sensory systems, and behavioral patterns. When any part of this system isn’t working as it should, eating can quickly become overwhelming.

Common reasons behind feeding difficulties include:

Oral-motor skill delays affecting chewing, biting, or tongue movement

Sensory sensitivities to certain textures, temperatures, or smells

Medical histories such as reflux, respiratory issues, or prematurity

Negative feeding experiences leading to fear or avoidance

Behavioral feeding patterns developed over time

Left unaddressed, feeding issues can impact a child’s nutrition, growth, and social development. But with the right guidance, significant progress is possible. All our therapists are trained in feeding therapy, equipped to identify not just the symptoms, but the underlying causes — and to create individualized, effective plans for success.

The SpeakUp Approach to Feeding Therapy

At SpeakUp Centre, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions.
Every child, every history, and every family dynamic is different. That’s why our feeding therapy programs are personalized, collaborative, and goal-driven.

Here’s how we work

Detailed Evaluations

We start with an in-depth assessment covering oral-motor skills, sensory responses, behavioral patterns, medical background, and family mealtime routines.

Family-Centered Planning

Families are active partners in the process. Following the Hanen Approach, our therapists provide practical guidance to parents—equipping them to support therapy goals at home and reinforce progress between sessions.

Skill-Based Techniques

From improving lip closure and tongue movement to increasing food variety, our exercises are designed to build foundational skills step-by-step.


Sensory Integration

For children with aversions to specific textures, smells, or temperatures, we use gradual, supportive exposure techniques rooted in sensory integration principles.


Real-World Practice

Therapy sessions mirror real mealtime environments whenever possible, making it easier for children to transfer new skills from the clinic to home and beyond.

At every stage, our therapists, trained in feeding therapy, ensure that each activity is developmentally appropriate, emotionally safe, and clinically backed.

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What a Typical Session Looks Like

When you walk into a feeding therapy session at SpeakUp Centre, expect a welcoming, calm space where pressure is replaced by patience. Therapy might include:

Fun oral-motor exercises like blowing bubbles, drinking through straws, or practicing
specific chewing motions

Playful exposure to new foods — touching, smelling, licking — before moving toward
tasting and chewing

Gradual progression from familiar foods to new textures and temperatures

Strategies for positioning, pacing, and utensil use to make mealtimes more successful

Parent education on how to reinforce goals at home without creating battles around food

Each session is tailored to your child’s comfort level and therapeutic goals. All our therapists are trained in feeding therapy, ensuring the experience is both safe and effective.

Outcomes You Can Expect

With consistent therapy, families often report significant improvements, such as:

Increased acceptance of new foods and textures

Stronger chewing, sipping, and swallowing skills

Decreased gagging, coughing, or food refusal behaviors

Faster, calmer mealtimes without resistance or tears

Healthier growth patterns and improved nutritional intake

Reduced stress and more positive emotional experiences around eating

And just as importantly, parents regain a sense of calm and confidence during meals — knowing that progress is happening,one step at a time.
Feeding challenges do not define your child’s future — with the right guidance, confidence and comfort are within reach.
SpeakUp Centre is ready to help you and your child turn mealtimes into milestones.
Contact us today to learn more about our personalized feeding therapy programs.
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FAQs

We support clients from infancy through adulthood. Early intervention can make a big difference, but it’s never too late to start. Our therapists are trained in feeding therapy and skilled at adapting techniques for all age groups.

Progress varies based on each individual’s needs. Some clients may make rapid improvements; others may require longer-term support. We’ll set realistic goals and timelines during the initial assessment.

Absolutely. Parent involvement is essential. We guide families with home practice strategies so that skills generalize outside the therapy room.

Conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, sensory processing disorder, oral-motor delays, and gastrointestinal issues often intersect with feeding difficulties.

Severe picky eating or complete refusal requires a specialized, highly sensitive approach — not force. We use evidence-based, child-led methods that respect your child’s boundaries while gradually expanding food acceptance.