Self-Help Skills

Eating Concerns

Worried that your child’s eating problems may be more than you can handle? It is always a good idea to mention your concerns with your child’s physician. Below are some concerns that may require medical support.

Ongoing poor weight gain
Choking, gagging or coughing during meals
Weight loss
Ongoing problems with vomiting
History of eating & breathing coordination problems
Inability to transition to baby food purees by 10 months of age
Inability to accept any table food solids by 12 months of age
Inability to transition from breast/bottle to a cup by 16 months of age
Has not weaned off baby foods by 16 months of age
Aversion or avoidance of all foods in specific texture or food group
Food range of less than 20 foods, especially if foods are being dropped over time with no new foods replacing those lost
An infant who cries and/or arches at most meals
Family is fighting about food and feeding (i.e. meals are battles)
Parent repeatedly reports that the child is difficult for everyone to feed
Parental history of an eating disorder, with a child not meeting weight goals

Source: SOS Approach to Feeding

Handwashing

According to research, keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others (Show Me the Science - How to Wash Your Hands, 2020). It is recommended to wash your hands for 20 seconds. A great way to do this is to sing a song that is at least 20 seconds in length, like the Alphabet Song. Encourage your children to sing as they wash their hands, as demonstrated in this video.

Show Me the Science - How to Wash Your Hands. (2020, September 25). https//www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html

Sensory Feeding Progression

Every child may have different food preferences, but sometimes these preferences get in the way of your child eating a balanced diet that will support their growth. If your child’s diet is limited due to different food properties such as texture, taste, smell, temperature and consistency, check out this systematic plan that we use to help children expand their diet.

Make sure you have your child’s attention for each step, when observing and participating.
Once successful with one food, try introducing similar foods (texture, flavor, color, smell, or shape).
Be calm, not controlling. Eating should not be a battle.
Each step should be successful at least two times before moving on to the next step.
Work to increase a variety of foods (~10 protein, starches, and fruits/vegetables) before focusing on quantity.

Eat the food next to your child and comment, “This is yummy.”
A friend or highly reinforcing person eats the food next to your child.
Play with the food, in pictures or the actual food throughout the day. (Pick them up with toothpicks, tongs, or tweezers. Stack them like blocks. Build a teepee.)
Place food on a separate plate next to your child’s plate. Point to it and discuss. Eat a few bites off of the plate and comment, “This is yummy.”
Place the food on your child’s plate. “You don’t have to eat the . It just needs to be on your plate.”
Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child needs to touch the food one time. “You don’t have to eat the , you just need to touch it.”
Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child needs to pick up the food one time. “You don’t have to eat the , you just need to pick it up.”
Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should pick up the food and touch the food to lips one time. “You don’t have to eat the , it just needs to be picked up and touched to your lips (or kissed).”
Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should pick up the food and put it on his tongue. “You don’t have to eat the , it just needs to be picked up and put on your tongue (or licked).”
Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should put the smallest piece of food in the mouth, but it is ok if comes back out. “You don’t have to eat the , you just need to put it in your mouth.”
Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should swallow the smallest piece of food. “Just take one small bite.”
Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should chew and/or bite a larger piece of food. “Just take one bite.”

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Self-Help Skills

Eating Concerns

Worried that your child’s eating problems may be more than you can handle? It is always a good idea to mention your concerns with your child’s physician. Below are some concerns that may require medical support.

Ongoing poor weight gain

Choking, gagging or coughing during meals

Weight loss

Ongoing problems with vomiting

History of eating & breathing coordination problems

Inability to transition to baby food purees by 10 months of age

Inability to accept any table food solids by 12 months of age

Inability to transition from breast/bottle to a cup by 16 months of age

Has not weaned off baby foods by 16 months of age

Aversion or avoidance of all foods in specific texture or food group

Food range of less than 20 foods, especially if foods are being dropped over time with no new foods replacing those lost

An infant who cries and/or arches at most meals

Family is fighting about food and feeding (i.e. meals are battles)

Parent repeatedly reports that the child is difficult for everyone to feed

Parental history of an eating disorder, with a child not meeting weight goals

Source: SOS Approach to Feeding

Handwashing

Sensory Feeding Progression

Make sure you have your child’s attention for each step, when observing and participating.

Once successful with one food, try introducing similar foods (texture, flavor, color, smell, or shape).

Be calm, not controlling. Eating should not be a battle.

Each step should be successful at least two times before moving on to the next step.

Work to increase a variety of foods (~10 protein, starches, and fruits/vegetables) before focusing on quantity.

Eat the food next to your child and comment, “This is yummy.”

A friend or highly reinforcing person eats the food next to your child.

Play with the food, in pictures or the actual food throughout the day. (Pick them up with toothpicks, tongs, or tweezers. Stack them like blocks. Build a teepee.)

Place food on a separate plate next to your child’s plate. Point to it and discuss. Eat a few bites off of the plate and comment, “This is yummy.”

Place the food on your child’s plate. “You don’t have to eat the . It just needs to be on your plate.”

Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child needs to touch the food one time. “You don’t have to eat the , you just need to touch it.”

Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child needs to pick up the food one time. “You don’t have to eat the , you just need to pick it up.”

Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should pick up the food and touch the food to lips one time. “You don’t have to eat the , it just needs to be picked up and touched to your lips (or kissed).”

Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should pick up the food and put it on his tongue. “You don’t have to eat the , it just needs to be picked up and put on your tongue (or licked).”

Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should put the smallest piece of food in the mouth, but it is ok if comes back out. “You don’t have to eat the , you just need to put it in your mouth.”

Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should swallow the smallest piece of food. “Just take one small bite.”

Place the food on your child’s plate. Your child should chew and/or bite a larger piece of food. “Just take one bite.”