Supporting Your Child Through Feeding Challenges

If mealtimes feel stressful, emotional, or confusing, you’re not alone. Many parents wonder whether their child’s eating challenges are something they should be worried about or if help is available. At Chatty Therapy we’re passionate about empowering families with navigating feeding. We focus on helping children feel safe, regulated, and confident around food, while also supporting parents with practical, compassionate guidance. 

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), pediatric feeding and swallowing therapy addresses both the safety and enjoyment of eating and often involves Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) or Occupational Therapists (OT) working closely with families and other professionals to support children across infancy, childhood, and adolescence.

Children may benefit from feeding therapy for many reasons including: 

• gagging, coughing, or choking during meals

• avoiding certain textures or temperatures

• picky eating

• eating a very limited range of foods

• taking a long time to eat

• becoming distressed at the table 

• struggling with chewing and swallowing

Feeding challenges can be connected to:

• sensory sensitivities

• anxiety around food

• developmental differences

• medical history

Feeding therapy can support:

• infants who struggle with breast or bottle feeding and transitions to solids 

• toddlers who experience strong reactions to textures or frequent mealtime stress

• older children or teens whose eating challenges have continued over time. 

Take this Test for Picky Eaters on our website to evaluate your child's picky eating behaviours and habits based on what is expected for their age.

What do Feeding Therapy sessions look like?

Feeding Therapy is individualized, gentle, and respectful of each child’s pace and needs. Sessions are typically play-based, relationship-focused, and collaborative, with an emphasis on reducing pressure and building trust around food. Caregivers are supported with strategies they can use at home to make mealtimes calmer and more predictable, without force or blame. Feeding therapy focuses not just on what a child eats, but how they feel about eating.

It’s also important for parents to stay connected with their child’s pediatrician if they aren’t already. When a child has a severely restrictive diet, ongoing growth and weight monitoring may be needed, and a pediatrician may recommend a dietitian referral to ensure nutritional needs are being met alongside feeding therapy.

Feeding Resources in Alberta to Support Your Child Through Feeding Challenges

If you are supporting your child through feeding challenges in Alberta, you can connect with your local public health unit through Alberta Health Services (AHS) for guidance, referrals, and community support. AHS also has free online classes including Goodbye Mealtime Struggles Classes to help parents navigate mealtime and learn strategies.

Alberta families may also find helpful, evidence-based feeding and nutrition information through PEAS (Primary Health Care – Pediatric Eating and Swallowing), an AHS resource designed to support parents and caregivers.

For parents looking for additional education and reassurance, there are parent-focused learning options that complement feeding therapy. The SOS Approach to Feeding offers a workshop specifically for parents when children won’t eat, helping caregivers better understand feeding challenges and supportive strategies. 

The Permission Institute also provides a compassionate course for parents navigating challenging mealtimes with anxious eaters, focusing on reducing stress and building trust around food.

We can help!

If you’re feeling like exploring if feeding therapy is right for your child, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. At Chatty Therapy we’re here to help you think things through and answer your questions in a calm, supportive way. 

Please feel free to call us at 587-316-9877 or email us at hello@chattytherapy.com . We'd be happy to answer any questions and discuss more details about treatment with you.

If you’re in the Edmonton, Alberta area we offer a free 15-minute phone consultation with a therapist, where you can share what mealtimes have been like for your family, talk through your concerns, and learn more about what support might look like with no pressure or commitment. Sometimes having a short, compassionate conversation is enough to feel clearer about next steps. We’d be honoured to support you and your child.

Ultimately, feeding therapy is about safety, nourishment, emotional well-being, and connection. With the right support in place including healthcare providers, therapists, and community resources many families experience less stress, greater confidence, and calmer, more connected mealtimes over time.

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