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Feeding and Swallowing
Feeding Difficulties / Oromotor Issues
Jenni works closely with an occupational therapy colleague, with families with children who are ‘fussy eaters’. She uses the sequential oral sensory (SOS) approach.
Assessment or therapy may involve a joint visit to a child’s home. Sometimes children present with issues around feeding and textures and smells – as part of an ASD diagnosis. At other times, it can be associated with prolonged illness or surgeries and being fed for a period through a nasogastric tube.
Sometimes, but not always, children with feeding difficulties may present with oromotor coordination issues and/or changes in muscle tone. This can contribute to difficulties in chewing more challenging foods and coordinating a swallow.
Jenni has close links with the Mater Hospital – particularly in the care of newborns in special care. She is experienced in assisting families with transitioning from nasogastric tube feeding to oral feeding and in supporting families through the crucial first 12 months of early feeding skills development.
Local nursing homes visits can be arranged or to elderly residents on request, following a stroke or concerns around safety of feeding due to dysphagia. After assessment, Jenni uses the IDDSI framework to facilitate clear communication with nursing staff and kitchens. This is to ensure that a person is receiving textures they can safely manage, whilst maintaining a variety of food and liquids in their diet.
