Transitions Pediatric Feeding Program

Directions

The Transitions Feeding Program is designed for children who have experienced feeding/swallowing difficulties, have demonstrated poor progress with outpatient services and/or may benefit from intensive inpatient admission. Our inpatient program provides intensive treatment and hands-on caregiver training.

The length of stay is individually determined by each child’s complex needs and the progress he or she demonstrates. In order to provide more comprehensive family education and carryover of therapeutic strategies, parents/caregivers are strongly encouraged to be active participants in daily therapy activities. Children participate in structured feedings throughout the day with parents, therapists and/or trained staff.

Inpatient Services Include:

  • Pre-admission screening by nurse liaison upon referral
  • Comprehensive interdisciplinary evaluation upon admission
  • Referrals for diagnostic studies as needed which may include: modified barium swallow studies, radiologic motility testing, allergy testing
  • A structured feeding program custom-tailored to your child’s needs
  • Developmentally-based, child-driven approach
  • Development of family-centered goals
  • Hands-on family and caregiver education and training
  • Feeding therapy with staff members who have advanced training and expertise in feeding techniques and strategies

Characteristics of a Feeding Disorder:
We treat children with feeding disorders, gastrointestinal issues and congenital anomalies including, but not limited to:

  • Failure to thrive
  • Prematurity
  • Cleft lip and/or palate
  • Oral and/or pharyngeal dysphagia
  • Aversion to food textures
  • Food refusal (sensory or behavioral)
  • Difficulty advancing to age-appropriate food textures
  • Gagging, coughing or choking
  • Eosinophilic Esophagitis
  • Short gut syndrome/Gastroeschesis
  • Gastro-esophageal reflux disorders
  • Children who have experienced multiple surgeries resulting in a feeding or swallowing disorder
  • Children who have not made adequate progress in outpatient programs

Feeding Therapy
Feeding therapy is coordinated with the patient’s family, referring physician and our inpatient multidisciplinary team. Feeding therapy, during mealtimes and/or non-mealtimes, may focus on some or all of the following:

  • Appropriate selection of child specific utensils for eating
  • Exploring the child’s sensory preferences for development of strategies to meet sensory needs
  • Teaching compensatory strategies to help families optimize their child’s feeding skills
  • Recommendations for optimal positioning to increase safety and efficiency while eating
  • Strengthening developmentally appropriate oral motor and swallowing skills
  • Diet modifications to ensure safety and advancement in textures, volume, and/or variety of foods accepted
  • Feeding team comprised of professionals trained in the Beckman Oral Motor Program, Vital Stim and SOS Approach to Feeding

Our Interdisciplinary Team

Pediatrician: Board certified pediatrician with extensive experience in infants and children with special needs and medical complexity. Manages the medical treatment of each pediatric feeding patient, monitors nutritional and hydration status with registered dietician and nurses, and coordinates the work of other professionals on the feeding therapy team.

Pediatric Physiatrist: Board certified in pediatrics and rehabilitation medicine. Works closely with the therapeutic team to ensure optimum therapeutic planning and monitors the patient’s progress toward oral motor and functional goals.

Pediatric Rehabilitation Nurse: Focuses on improving quality of life for children and their families during mealtime and non-mealtime routines. Initiates and monitors developmentally based care plans in collaboration with other team members and provides essential education to children and families while reinforcing the education provided by other team members.

Occupational Therapist (OT): Assesses overall sensory needs and fine motor skills and provides appropriate treatment. Evaluates for and provides appropriate adaptive equipment and devices to maximize the overall quality and safety of feeding.

Physical Therapist (PT): Evaluates postural control and overall gross motor planning and function to enhance safe and efficient feeding. Provides appropriate equipment for proper positioning during feeding.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): Evaluates the functionality and safety of feeding and makes recommendations for treatment. Teaches techniques and skills for eating and drinking and assists with the fitting and customizing of adaptive equipment.

Recreational Therapist (RT): Evaluates social and developmental play skills and provides opportunities for children to engage in sensory-based play in order to facilitate social and developmental skills necessary to progress in feeding independence.

Registered Dietician: Evaluates each child’s nutritional status, monitors caloric intake, weight and other nutrition parameters. The registered dietitian confers with the health-care team to develop and implement individualized plans to meet nutritional requirements. Nutrition education is provided to meet special needs as well as promote healthful eating for normal child development.

Location:
Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit
2855 Schoenersville Rd.
Bethlehem, PA  18017

Contact:
Phone: 610-807-4200

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