Sensory, Cognitive, and Motor Planning Interventions to Support Successful Mealtime

Feeding is a complex, developmental process that involves physiological development, oral-motor strength and coordination skills, gastrointestinal system, sensory components, and emotions. Providers and caregivers need to assess supported seating options to ensure postural support and stability to allow children to use oral motor skills andcoordination as they eat a variety of food tastes, textures,and temperatures. It is important for the therapy team to educate caregivers and support responsive feeding strategies in a stress-free mealtime environment with consistency. Feeding experiences should foster child engagement with enjoyable mealtime experiences and mutual trust for optimal growth and development.

Highlights

• Evidence-based strategies for body regulation and engagement to participate in meal preparation, routines, and independence with self-feeding skills
• Strategies to improve body awareness, increasestrength and balance skills, as well as motor planning and coordination to support feeding and mealtime routines
• Coaching strategies to support parent reflection and participation within sessions to help develop, monitor, and modify activities
• Team collaboration to support family mealtime routines with cultural sensitivity in the home and community settings

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Speech-Language Pathologists