Here are the things to know when doing autism feeding therapy:
Evaluating the Problem
An evaluation is usually done by a speech pathologist or by an occupational therapist who has experience in feeding therapy. Most of the time, these evaluations are at a doctors office, but they can take place in different settings.
Getting Help
Check with local doctors to see if they have any staff experienced in autism feeding therapy and giving evaluations. You can also get an evaluation done at your home by a private occupational therapist. There is also an option to call the state childrens hospital and request an evaluation from them.
Full Assessment
If the child is dealing with one issue requiring autism feeding therapy, it is likely that there will be a few other issues. It is important to get a full assessment in order to try to fix every problem.
Trust The Process
This process is a marathon, not a sprint. Feeding therapy aims to fulfill a long term goal. The therapist will constantly evaluate the child for any other therapy solutions.
Team Effort
Being a parent is the most important part of autism feeding therapy and is also the most difficult. The parent has to constantly be evaluating as well since they spend the most time with the child. It takes a whole team for this process to work and everyone involved needs to be encouraging.
Baby Steps
The slowest progress is a good sign, but it is hard to see the simple steps taken when there is a bigger goal in mind.
Don’t Compare Your Child’s Progress
Every child is different when taking part in therapy. That is why these personalized evaluations are used. Also, there are all kinds of techniques used in feeding therapy and it is important to not get caught up in it.
