Feeding Clinic for Children with Dysphagia
We offer a Feeding Clinic for children with dysphagia. Through the Clinic, we help families build more positive mealtime experiences, and help the child improve their relationship with food and eating skills.
What is dysphagia?
Dysphagia is a medical condition whereby a child has not developed the skills they need to manage either food or liquid. They may struggle with chewing or swallowing certain foods. This can put them at increased risk of choking and aspiration (food going down into the lungs). It can also make it difficult to get enough nutrition. Dysphagia can make mealtimes stressful for parents and children.
How does the Feeding Clinic work?
Our Speech and Language Therapist will start with an hour-long online consultation to discuss your child’s eating and drinking needs. We will discuss their early experiences with feeding, and any interventions that have already taken place to support their eating. This helps us get a full picture of your child’s broader needs and an understanding of the support they have had, currently have or are on a waiting list for.
We will then do a face-to-face mealtime assessment either at home or in your child’s education setting. The therapist will assess:
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your child’s feeding skills;
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your child’s swallow;
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your child’s response to different textures of food and fluid.
We observe your child, assessing the specifics of their skills with eating.
Following these assessments the therapist will feed back their findings, and give recommendations to reduce the risk of aspiration while developing feeding skills. We may also recommend further therapy sessions.
What do you do to help a child with dysphagia?
Dysphagia can feel overwhelming for families. Mealtimes can also become stressful for the child with dysphagia. When mealtimes are filled with anxiety, this can affect a child’s willingness to eat. Many families can find themselves stuck in a negative cycle during mealtimes. At the feeding clinic, our aim is to help mealtimes become more relaxed. We want food to be fun!
Therapy can focus on mealtime strategies, developing knowledge and skills for those feeding the child and/or developing the feeding skills of the child. This may be offered as an online package or face to face sessions. Our therapists will discuss options with you following assessment to develop a plan focused on your child and their needs.
What do I do with the NHS assessments I've had?
You may be seeing an NHS-funded practitioner, or on a waiting list for one. You can still see us as well! We strive to work alongside our NHS colleagues to provide you with the best support possible for your child.
We encourage you to share any NHS assessment results with us, enabling us to be guided by medical reports.
My child is tube-fed. Can you work with them?
Yes, we can work with children who are currently tube fed. We will always work alongside the NHS staff supporting you and your child, ensuring that together we can provide the best treatment pathway for your child.
I'm not sure my child has dysphagia - can you still help me?
We absolutely can. Simply fill in the referral form, giving us as much detail about the feeding issues your child is facing. We will use this information to plan a treatment pathway that is right for them.
We would also recommend that you visit your GP to discuss the issues with them.
Please note that currently we cannot see children under the age of two.
