Eat, Play, Grow Pediatric Feeding Therapy

07/11/2023

🚨 BIG NEWS 🚨
Eat Play Grow is now seeing children in the east valley! We provide in home sessions for children in the area and teletherapy options for those elsewhere in the valley. DM or contact for scheduling. FREE consultation today!

03/03/2023

⭐️ Toddler Talking Tips ⭐️

1. Use simple language. Instead of asking your child: “do you want milk? It looks like you want milk so tell mommy you want to drink milk” try “milk? Want milk?”
2. Rather than prompting to “say car” model exactly what your child could say, “car” and leave it at that
3. During snack time, dressing, or playtime- the opportunities for offering choices are endless! “Do you want apples or grapes?”, “should we wear red shirt or blue shirt?” Even if your child can’t tell you with their words they can point to the item which is communication!
4. WAIT sometimes we get so excited to give kids all the language models we can, but pausing so they have a chance to speak is key
5. Repetition helps kids hear over and over what words they can use, learning something new takes lots of practice

02/20/2023

🥤STRAW DRINKING TIPS🥤

Try offering a primed straw with your finger held over the end

Wait for baby to close their lips around the straw

Once lips are around the straw, release your finger for the liquid to flow

As baby gets the hang of closing their lips around the straw, wait to release your finger until they start to suck.

They will be drinking from the straw in no time!

09/15/2022

Does your toddler struggle with stuffing too much food in their mouth like a little chipmunk?! While this can be adorable, it also poses a choking risk. Using visuals and modeling different size bites can help toddlers understand what bites are safe and which are not safe. Try modeling with these fun animal bites and practicing comparing sizes to help keep your kiddos safe while eating! Follow EPG for more toddler feeding tips 😋🌱

09/09/2022

Did you know you can begin introducing baby to open cup and straw drinking at 6-9 months old?! Sometimes baby might need a little support to learn these skills, so try a training cup like the HoneyBear squeeze straw cup or the Nosey open cup.

⭐️ TIPS:
Start with a very small amount of water in the cup. You can add some purée to the water so it flows a little slower - giving baby more success.
Be prepared to get a little messy! Kiddos sometimes need support with open cup drinking up until 18-24 months of age.

Follow for more feeding tips and tricks! 🌱😋

08/31/2022

“How much should my child eat?”
“Why don’t they eat more?!”
“Are they getting enough??””

As a pediatric feeding therapist, these are questions I hear from caregivers alllll the time. Often our expectations for how much food a toddler eats during mealtime is similar to how much an adult might eat. A big plate of food can be very overwhelming to a toddler. They might think “I have to eat ALL of that?! Nevermind, I’m done”

Here are a few rules of thumb regarding how much food to give your toddler during meals or snacks:

⭐️ Offer 1 tablespoon per year of age, of each of the foods offered

⭐️ Give 3 foods minimum per meal or snack, with 5 foods generally being the maximum

⭐️ Offer at least one protein, one starch, and one fruit or vegetable per meal or snack

AND you can always offer more to your child if they ask and have more of an appetite that day 🌱

08/31/2022

Variety is the spice of life 💃🏻

⭐️ Re-engage your toddler in frequently offered food by using novel utensils such as cocktail forks, toothpicks, or textured spoons.

⭐️ This also helps kiddos who are aversive to certain textures. Using a utensil for interaction rather than fingers is a great first step to desensitizing. Have fun exploring and snacking with your kiddo! 🌱

08/30/2022

Using BUBBLES 🫧 to promote speech development!

🌱 Improves joint attention: a foundation skill kids need to develop language. Or having your kiddo look back and forth between you and the item you’re playing with! Pausing right before you blow the bubbles is a great way to get that good good eye contact 🫧👀🫧

Follow for more pediatric speech and feeding tips!

07/28/2022

Eat Play Grow is partnering with the Tot Spot for toddler and pre-k feeding groups and parent education! Come check out the open house for more info 🍎🌱🍽

07/07/2022

👋🏻 it’s about time I introduced myself!

I’m Meredith! A Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in working with children with feeding difficulties.

Midwest born from Indiana 🌽 —> Kentucky 🐎

Moved to Arizona in 2015 🌵

Middle child between two brothers 👦🏻👧🏻👦🏻

Dog Mom to PJ 🐶

Cat Mom to Teddy 🐈‍⬛

In my spare time I love crafting (hello Pinterest), reading historical fiction, home decor, and hiking 🎨📖🏠⛰

I started Eat Play Grow Feeding therapy to meet a need for feeding therapy specialists who work in the family home.

Throughout my experience, I’ve found that coaching parents to work with their child in the natural environment is the most beneficial way to see progress.

I’m here to reiterate that YOU are your child’s number one teacher 🍎🌱

06/10/2022

Tips on introducing solids to baby?! First try a hand held piece of soft food for baby to explore 😋🍓🌱

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