Feeding | Speech Pathology Adelaide
Feeding therapy helps individuals of all ages who experience difficulties with chewing, swallowing, or managing different food textures. Challenges in this area can impact nutrition, growth, and overall mealtime experiences.
At Thrive Health Therapies, we support individuals in developing safe and effective feeding skills to improve their ability to eat comfortably, explore new foods, and enjoy mealtimes with confidence.
What is Feeding Support?
Feeding therapy is a area of speech pathology that focuses on supporting individuals with difficulties related to feeding and swallowing. Feeding involves a complex process that begins with sensory reactions to food, such as smelling and salivating, and extends to the physical act of chewing and swallowing. Challenges can arise at any stage of this process, making it difficult for some individuals to eat or drink safely and efficiently. Speech pathologists play a critical role in identifying and addressing these difficulties to improve overall feeding outcomes.
What Might Difficulties with Feeding Look Like?
Feeding difficulties can present in various ways, depending on the individual. Common signs of feeding difficulties include:
Choking during mealtimes or food intake.
Frequent coughing during meals.
Excessive chewing or spitting out food after chewing.
Difficulty consuming certain foods, such as hard vegetables, meats, or crunchy snacks.
Nasal regurgitation during or after eating.
Weight loss or difficulty maintaining appropriate weight for age and height.
A limited variety of foods being consumed.
Anxiety or meltdowns related to mealtimes.
Difficulty staying focused or engaging during meals.
Challenges with latching during breast or bottle feeding.
Drooling or food escaping from the mouth during meals.
Recognising these signs early is essential, as they can impact nutrition, growth, and overall quality of life.
Common Reasons That Families Need Feeding Therapy
Families may seek feeding therapy for a range of reasons, including:
Oral-motor difficulties: Challenges with chewing, swallowing, or coordinating tongue and jaw movements.
Sensory sensitivities: Avoidance of certain food textures, colours, or smells.
Medical conditions: Conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cleft palate, or other structural abnormalities affecting feeding.
Mealtime Anxiety: Refusal to eat or heightened anxiety during mealtimes.
Developmental delays: Delays in acquiring the skills needed for safe and effective feeding.
Prematurity or early life complications: Feeding challenges often arise in infants born prematurely or with complex medical histories.
Transitioning difficulties: Struggles with moving from breast/bottle feeding to solids or transitioning between food textures.
Swallowing disorders (dysphagia): Difficulty in safely swallowing liquids or solids.
Feeding therapy addresses these underlying causes to help children and families develop positive mealtime experiences.
How Do Speech Pathologists Help Improve Feeding?
Speech pathologists offer a wide range of strategies and interventions to address feeding difficulties. Their work often involves:
Building confidence: Helping children become more comfortable with different textures, colours, and food types.
Developing skills: Supporting children in building the oral-motor skills needed for chewing, swallowing, and efficient feeding.
Assessment: Observing eating and drinking behaviours to identify specific challenges and determine appropriate interventions.
Family support: Coaching parents and caregivers to create positive mealtime routines and environments.
Safe eating practices: Establishing a list of safe and tolerated foods, and creating a gradual pathway for introducing new foods.
Modifications: Prescribing modified textures or utensils to support safe and effective feeding.
Enhancing communication: Encouraging children to express their needs, preferences, and feelings related to feeding.
Interdisciplinary collaboration: Working with other health professionals such as dietitians, lactation consultants, paediatricians, and occupational therapists to provide holistic care.
Positive mealtime experiences: Supporting children in engaging with meals in various settings, from family dinners to community events like birthday parties.
Feeding therapy not only improves the physical aspects of eating and drinking but also helps families create positive, stress-free mealtime experiences. By addressing both the technical and emotional aspects of feeding, speech pathologists empower children and their families to enjoy safer, healthier, and more enjoyable interactions with food.
How We Deliver Speech Pathology at Thrive Health Therapies
Thrive Health Therapies offers community-based, clinic-based, and telehealth speech pathology.
Community-Based Services: We provide community-based speech pathology in your home, school or kindergarten, or a location convenient to you throughout metropolitan Adelaide. Learn more about our service areas.
Clinic-Based Services: We provide clinic-based sessions at our Findon clinic.
Telehealth Services: We also offer comprehensive telehealth services, providing clients with convenient, video-based therapy consultations for those who may have difficulty travelling to our clinic or prefer the convenience of remote support.
Funding Options for Speech Pathology
We accept a variety of funding options, making augmentative and alternative communication therapy accessible for everyone:
Private Health Insurance
Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plans (GP Team Care Arrangements)
Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA)
Why Choose Our Speech Pathology Services?
No wait time: We can start working with paediatric or adult clients straight away!
Experienced: Our speech pathologists have extensive experience working with individuals of all ages.
Extensive Coverage in the community: We serve a large geographical area, providing speech therapy services across all of metropolitan Adelaide from Gawler to Aldinga. We see clients at home, in their school or kindergarten, or at a location convenient to them. Learn more about our service areas.
Clinic space: Our Findon clinic has been specially designed to be appropriate for a wide range of presentations and disabilities.
Individualised care: Every client receives a personalised therapy plan based on their unique needs and goals.
Neuroaffirming Practice: We provide compassionate and affirming services to support and empower neurodiverse individuals.
Multi-Disciplinary Approach: We offer a wide range of allied health services under one roof, allowing for a holistic approach to your health. Learn more about our team.
NDIS Provider: We provide services to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants.
Funding Options: We accept a variety of funding options, helping our clients access the support they need.
LGBTQIA+ Friendly: We celebrate, value and include people of all backgrounds, genders, and sexualities, Our Findon clinic is a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for all LGBTQIA+ people and families.
FAQs About Feeding
If you can’t find an answer to your question, please contact our friendly team on 0474 248 081 or email enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com
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Feeding therapy supports individuals who have difficulties with chewing, swallowing, or managing different food textures. It helps improve their ability to eat safely and comfortably while fostering positive mealtime experiences.
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Feeding therapy is beneficial for individuals of all ages, including infants, children, and adults, who struggle with feeding-related challenges. This may include difficulties with swallowing (dysphagia), sensory sensitivities, or transitioning to new food textures.
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Feeding challenges can present in different ways, such as:
Choking or coughing during meals
Difficulty chewing or swallowing certain foods
Avoiding specific textures, colors, or food types
Frequent food refusal or anxiety around mealtimes
Struggles transitioning from breast/bottle to solid foods
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Feeding therapy sessions are tailored to each individual’s needs and may involve:
Assessing current feeding abilities and challenges
Practicing new feeding techniques in a safe environment
Exploring different textures and foods at a comfortable pace
Providing families with strategies for mealtime success
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No! We can start working with new clients right away.
Once we have received a referral form with all of your details, we are able to book an Initial Assessment as soon as possible, depending on your availability.
You can find our paediatric referral forms here and our adult referral forms here.
If you have any questions prior to referring please reach out to us on 0474 248 081, via our online enquiry form or at or at enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com.
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If you are funded through Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) or Chronic Disease Management (CDM) we need the appropriate referral documentation from your GP.
For all other funding sources you can refer yourself or your child directly via our online referral form, or reach out to us on 0474 248 081, via our online enquiry form or at enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com.
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Referring is easy! You can find our paediatric referral forms here and our adult referral forms here.
If you have any questions prior to referring please reach out to us on 0474 248 081, via our online enquiry form or at enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com.
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We accept referrals from a wide range of funding sources, including the NDIS, home care packages, Department of Veterans Affairs, Chronic Disease Management (previously known as EPC) and private clients. Learn more about our accepted funding sources.
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Prices vary between services. Our therapists work with you to ensure you get the best program of services within your budget allocation.
Please contact us for a personalised quote.
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Referral Form
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