Pediatric Feeding & Speech Solutions, PLLC

03/24/2026

Check out my interview Dr. Lindsey Waldman, pediatric endocrinologist, on The Endo Kids Podcast as we talk all things picky eating.

03/23/2026

01/22/2026

I am so glad she said that everything isn't "sensory based"- I see the rigidity/inflexibility piece often in treating PFD/ARFID.

Don’t freak out, but, autistic selective eating is ✨NOT always about sensory issues.✨

Yes, texture, smell, temperature, taste, and predictability matter…BUT, research also points to RIGIDITY as a major contributor to “picky eating”.

From the autistic perspective, the rule often isn’t
❌“I can’t eat this because it feels bad.”

It’s more like:
✅“I can’t eat this because I don’t eat this.”

Once a food is categorized as “not something I eat,” that rule can be surprisingly hard to break, even if the sensory experience itself wouldn’t be terrible.

I notice this every time I travel.
Almost every trip, I come home with a new food I’m suddenly willing to eat.

Sometimes it’s a food I’ve genuinely never been exposed to before,
(most recently, clam chowder).

Other times, it’s a food I stopped eating years ago…but while traveling, the usual rules get disrupted and the rigidity breaks.

Once that rule is broken I’m often willing to eat it again at home.

The sensory experience didn’t magically change. What changed was the mental rule around it.

So when we talk about autistic eating, it’s worth remembering that…

Sometimes the most effective support isn’t avoiding new foods or assuming every refusal is sensory-based.

Rather, thoughtful exposure (done respectfully), without pressure is what actually expands flexibility.

This definitely doesn’t mean that exposure works the same way for everyone.

But it does mean recognizing that for many autistic people, rigidity can be just as powerful a barrier as sensory discomfort.

12/11/2025

Let's roll into the weekend with some breakfast food art. I love my feeding cuties. Artsit: CK

12/04/2025

Tuesday fun food art. Peanut butter eyebrows and french toast eyes are the best! And add a little pasta on the side.

11/06/2025

Feeding therapy and family meal times don’t have to be stressful!

This guy is just having fun.

Contact me or email kelly@pediatricfeedingandspeech.com to discuss how to make your meal times at home less stressful

Food art credit: H Crawford

11/06/2025

Feeding therapy and family mealtimes don't have to be stressful! This guy is just having fun.

Contact me Pediatric Feeding & Speech Solutions, PLLC to discuss how to make your mealtimes at home less stressful!

Current openings available. food art credit: H. Crawford

10/29/2025

Halloween time! Don't make candy the devil. See some tips from Doctor Yum as to how this can be a teaching moment for a lifetime of good choices.

08/07/2025

Brush ‘em up. You can’t go wrong with Laurie Berkner!

07/29/2025

"It's just a hamburger, everybody likes hamburgers, it's so good, just take a bite, you'll love it, just try it........" Pediatric feeding disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder- are complex beats. It's not that easy.

Feeding disorders aren’t just a phase, and they won’t just grow out of it.

When eating is hard, scary, or hurts, it’s not picky eating.

Pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) impact a child’s ability to eat, grow, and thrive and require specialized support.

Worried about your child’s feeding? We’re here to help. View family support resources at the link in our bio.

06/21/2025

Happy, cute beginning to the weekend! Great to hang with Tucker this morning.

03/30/2025

Looks yummy and has some protein!