This post was originally written in an earlier phase of Intuitive Therapy Solutions. Today, ITS is a founder-led, fully virtual pediatric occupational therapy practice specializing in feeding therapy and parent coaching for children ages 0–7, serving families across Canada.
Stephanie Forseth, Registered OT, is the sole practitioner. Our approach is nervous-system-informed and safety-first — not compliance-based.
If you're curious whether feeding therapy might help your child, a complimentary fit consult is the best first step. No referral or diagnosis required.
Book a Free Fit Consult →Our goal in this post is to help you identify some of the common signs that can point toward a feeding concern. We hope to help you feel informed — and empowered to seek support sooner rather than later if any of the following apply to your child.
Before jumping in, a quick note on what feeding therapy actually is:
Feeding Therapy is a specialty area for health professionals — most often Occupational Therapists or Speech-Language Pathologists — who focus on feeding concerns in children. Feeding disorders are distinctly different from eating disorders (which center on body image). A feeding disorder refers to difficulty eating a sufficient variety of foods to maintain healthy nutritional status — and may involve physical, sensory, cognitive, or emotional components.
With that foundation in place, here are 10 signs your child may benefit from feeding therapy:
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1
They're "stuck" on one texture and not progressing.
Whether it's purees, semi-solids, or only crunchy foods — if your child isn't moving through texture stages, something may be going on with their physical or sensory processing. Many children get stuck on smooth textures because caregivers back off too quickly after early resistance. That's not a parenting failure — it's a sign the child needs more support.
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2
They have a very limited variety of accepted foods.
They eat only certain foods — typically processed, bland, and beige — and resist most other options. The variety tends to stay the same or shrink over time, not grow.
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3
They refuse entire food groups.
Fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy — if a full category is consistently refused or never accepted, that pattern is worth exploring. It may reflect sensory aversion, past negative experiences, or nervous system dysregulation around those sensory properties.
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4
Mealtimes take significantly longer than for other children in the family.
If everyone else is finishing and your child is still working through the same bite — and this is a consistent pattern that disrupts your family routine — it's worth having a feeding therapist look at why.
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5
They aren't meeting developmental milestones for feeding.
These milestones give us a general map of what to expect:
Age Expected Feeding Skill 12–18 months Holds spoon, scoops food, brings spoon to mouth with minimal spillage 18–24 months Uses a fork, drinks from an open cup 2–3 years Drinks through a straw, holds a small cup with one hand Note: Milestones are a guide, not a verdict. If your child is behind in multiple areas or the gap is significant, that's a signal to get a professional opinion.
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6
They have meltdowns before or during mealtimes.
If your child avoids the table, melts down when food is presented, or is in a state of distress before a meal even begins — that emotional response is telling you something about their nervous system's relationship with food. This is not a behavior problem; it's a regulation problem.
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7
They need to wipe their face or hands immediately after food contact.
This is a classic sign of tactile sensory aversion. If touching, seeing, or smelling certain foods triggers an immediate and intense need to remove the sensation, the nervous system is interpreting that input as threatening — not tolerable.
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8
They gag easily — or have a history of choking.
Some gagging is developmentally normal in young toddlers. But a hyperactive gag reflex that persists, or a pattern of gagging at the sight or smell of certain foods (not just texture contact), is worth assessing. Same with any history of choking or aspiration concerns.
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9
They were a difficult feeder as an infant.
Breastfeeding difficulty, bottle refusal, slow weight gain in the early months, reflux that was hard to manage, or an extended transition to solids — these early feeding histories are clinically relevant. They don't guarantee a feeding disorder, but they add important context and may predict future feeding challenges.
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10
They barely eat dinner — but want a snack right after.
This is one of the most common things families describe. The pattern itself is often reversible with structure and consistency around mealtimes. But if it's accompanied by any of the other signs on this list, it may not be a habit issue — it may be a capacity or regulation issue that needs a closer look.
Not sure if what you're seeing qualifies?
That's exactly what a fit consult is for. A 20-minute conversation is often enough to determine whether feeding therapy is the right next step — or whether there's something else that would serve your child better. Serving families virtually across Canada.
Book a Free Fit Consult →No referral or diagnosis required. Virtual sessions, all provinces.