KidsInclusive Feeding Clinic

What is Feeding Clinic?

Feeding Clinic provides multidisciplinary assessment for children (birth to 18 years of age) who meet the following criteria:

• physical, developmental, and complex medical needs
• demonstrate feeding and swallowing challenges that impair safe oral intake/nutrition
• requiring interdisciplinary specialized support

Goals of Feeding Clinic:

Feeding Clinic aims to use a family-centered, evidence-informed approach to work towards the following goals:

• Feed safely and successfully
• Receive the nutrition needed to grow and thrive
• Eat by mouth when it is safe to do so

What to Expect:

One or more team members may be involved in your child’s assessment, including:

• An Occupational Therapist
• A Speech-Language Pathologist
• A Registered Dietitian

Through the assessment, the Feeding Clinic Team will:

• Talk with caregivers about the child’s feeding history and your main concerns,
• Observe the child eating and drinking to assess their feeding skills, swallowing safety, and nutritional intake,
• Provide recommendations, as appropriate, around accommodations for safe oral feeding and/or progressing oral feeding.

Service delivery is provided using a consultative model, where suggestions, strategies and education are provided to families/ caregivers. Short-term follow up is available under special circumstances.

If swallowing safety/aspiration (food or liquid entering the airway) is identified as a concern, the clinic may suggest conducting a Video Fluoroscopic Swallowing Studies (VFSS). VFSS are best used to determine risks of aspiration and characterize an individual’s ability to meet nutritional needs orally.

Understanding Food Selectivity Resources:

If you are looking for support with selective eating/limited food range, you can access our Webinar ‘Understanding Food Selectivity’ on our website (the pre-recorded version can be found under Resources/Webinars. You can also take a look at our Live Workshops section to see if there are any upcoming live workshops that you can register to attend.