Feeding Services

Does my child need Feeding Therapy? If you have concerns about your child’s food refusals, limited intake, mealtime behaviors or issues with swallowing, your child my benefit from feeding therapy. We're here to support families on Oahu with in-home services reaching the scenic areas of Waialua, Haleiwa, and Pupukea.

Christina Partyka - BabySage

Feeding therapy is a specialized form of therapy designed to help infants, toddlers and children who have difficulties with eating or swallowing. These difficulties can be due to a variety of reasons, including: 


  • Sensory processing disorders: Difficulty processing sensory information, such as the texture or temperature of food. 
  • Oral motor dysfunction: Weak oral muscles or poor coordination of the lips, tongue, and jaw. 
  • Medical conditions: Cleft palate, cerebral palsy, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). 
  • Behavioral issues: Picky eating, food aversions, or anxiety surrounding mealtimes. 

The primary goal of feeding therapy is to make mealtimes more enjoyable and less stressful for both the child and their family! 


To make this possible, we focus on: 

  • Improving oral motor skills, such as sucking, chewing, and swallowing. 
  • Increasing food acceptance and variety. 
  • Developing self-feeding skills. 


Techniques Used in Feeding Therapy 

I am trained in both the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding and the AIEOU (Acceptance, Exposure, Independence, Observation and Understanding) Approach to Feeding. I use a variety of techniques from both approaches to help you and your child, including: 

  • Self-Feeding Skills: Increasing your child’s independence by feeding themselves. 
  • Food desensitization: Gradually introducing new foods and textures to help your child become more comfortable with the different foods. 
  • Oral motor exercises: Strengthening the muscles of the mouth and improving coordination. 
  • Sensory integration techniques: Helping your child to better process sensory information, such as the texture and taste of food. 
  • Family education and training: Providing you and other caregivers with strategies to support your child's feeding at home. 


If you or your child is struggling with feeding difficulties, reach out to determine if feeding therapy is right for you. 

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