Pediatric Feeding Therapy for Picky Eaters
in Bentonville, AR

Mealtimes should be a time for bonding with family and friends. If your child is a picky eater, your family might be more used to mealtimes that are stressful and time consuming. Children with extreme food aversions may refuse entire food groups, avoid certain textures, or gag at the sight of new foods.

If this sounds familiar, No Limits Pediatric Therapies is here to help. Our experienced feeding therapists provide specialized care to support your child to expand their food choices so they can enjoy mealtimes and get the nutrition they need to grow strong and healthy.

What Is Picky Eating?

Everyone has food preferences, but picky eating goes beyond disliking mayonnaise on a sandwich or preferring cooked vegetables. For many children, picky eating is a strong refusal to eat specific foods and an unwillingness to try anything new. This can lead to a limited diet that may not meet a child’s nutritional needs and stressful mealtimes.

What Causes Picky Eating?

Picky eating can have many underlying causes. Children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be overly sensitive to the taste, texture, smell, or even appearance of certain foods. For these children, eating unfamiliar or disliked foods can cause extreme discomfort or anxiety.

Additionally, difficulty with chewing or swallowing can also lead to picky eating challenges. If your child struggles to swallow, they may often choke or gag on their food. This can lead them to be wary of certain types of food and anxious about mealtimes.

How Can Feeding Challenges Affect Your Child's Development?

Picky eating can have a big impact on your child’s overall development and wellbeing. When children don’t consume enough variety or quantity of food, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies, poor weight gain, and other health issues.

The stress or anxiety surrounding mealtimes can also affect your child’s emotional wellbeing and behavior. Left unaddressed, feeding challenges can cause disruptions in family routines and make it difficult for children to thrive in social settings like school lunches or parties.

How Feeding Therapy Helps Children with Picky Eating or Sensory Feeding Challenges

At No Limits Pediatric Therapies, our feeding therapists understand the unique challenges that come with picky eating and sensory feeding issues. We first do a comprehensive assessment to determine the root causes of your child’s eating difficulties. Then we develop a personalized treatment plan to help them in a positive, low-pressure environment.

Your child’s treatment plan may include the following types of exercises and activities:

Sensory exploration: gradual exposure to new textures, tastes, and smells to build tolerance and acceptance.
Play-based techniques: fun and engaging activities that make food exploration enjoyable and stress-free.
Parental coaching: guidance and support to empower parents to carry over feeding strategies into everyday life.
Mealtime strategies: tools and routines to reduce anxiety and promote positive mealtime behaviors.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Experts

Are mealtimes a challenge for your family? Take advantage of our free 15-minute consultation with our expert team at No Limits Pediatric Therapy.