Our Feeding program is an effective way to address problematic feeding behaviors in a variety of settings and populations. Parents and caregivers of children who will not eat are faced with a difficult and often puzzling challenge. Because the interplay between weight gain and a child’s experience of food can be complicated, there is rarely an easy solution when a feeding problem arises. Our approach uses a multi-disciplinary team approach which assess the “whole child”: muscles; development; sensory processing; oral-motor skills; learning, behavior and cognition; nutrition and the environment.
Launch Egypt focuses on increasing a child’s comfort level by exploring and learning about the different properties of food. The program allows a child to interact with food in a playful, non-stressful way, beginning with the ability to tolerate the food in the room and in front of him/her; then moving on to touching, kissing, and eventually tasting and eating foods
Picky eaters vs. Problem feeders
Picky Eaters
Decreased range or variety of foods that will eat = 30 foods or more
Foods lost due to “burn out” because of a food jag are usually re-gained after a 2 week break
Able to tolerate new foods on plate and usually can touch or taste a new food (even if reluctantly)
Eats at least one food from most all food texture groups
Frequently eats a different set of foods than the rest of the family, but usually eats with the family
Will add new foods to repertoire in 15-25 steps on Steps to Eating Hierarchy
Sometimes reported by parent as a “picky eater” at well-child check-ups
Problem Feeders
Restricted range or variety of foods, usually less than 20 different foods
Foods lost due to food jags are NOT re-acquired
Cries and “falls apart” when presented with new foods
Refuses entire categories of food textures
Almost always eats different foods than the family
Adds new foods in more than 25 steps
Persistently reported by parent as a “picky eater” across multiple medical check-ups
