Meet Julia: Our Very Own Texture Tamer

At Developmental Therapy Associates, feeding therapy is available at every one of our clinic locations and is an active part of the services we provide to families across our communities. That said, this area of treatment is an especially big passion of Ms. Julia’s, and she would absolutely love the opportunity to support even more families on their feeding journeys.

Many people hear the phrase “picky eating” and assume it is simply a phase, but for some children, eating challenges can be connected to sensory processing, oral motor skills, anxiety surrounding foods, or difficulty tolerating different textures, temperatures, smells, and appearances.

Occupational Therapy feeding support focuses on helping children build confidence and comfort around food in a supportive, low-pressure environment. Therapy may target:

• Tolerance of new or non-preferred foods
• Exploring different textures, temperatures, and consistencies
• Sensory sensitivities related to eating
• Oral motor coordination and chewing skills
• Expanding food variety and nutritional intake
• Mealtime participation and routines
• Reducing stress and anxiety around meals

🍎 Who may benefit from in-clinic feeding therapy?
In-person sessions can be especially beneficial for children who:
• Need hands-on sensory support and regulation strategies
• Benefit from direct modeling and guided food exploration
• Have significant texture aversions
• Need support with oral motor or chewing skills
• Thrive in structured therapy environments with specialized equipment and materials

💻 Who may benefit from virtual feeding therapy?
Virtual sessions can be a wonderful option for children who:
• Feel more comfortable trying foods in their home environment
• Need support generalizing feeding skills into daily routines
• Experience anxiety traveling to appointments
• Benefit from coaching and carryover strategies for caregivers during mealtimes
• Need flexible scheduling options for busy families

One of the greatest benefits of virtual feeding therapy is that strategies can be implemented right in the child’s everyday environment using familiar foods, utensils, seating, and routines. This often helps families feel empowered and supported during real-life mealtimes.

We are excited to share that Ms. Julia currently has open availability for both virtual and in-person feeding therapy sessions at our Raleigh clinic! If your child struggles with picky eating, texture sensitivities, limited food variety, or stressful mealtimes, we would love to help.

Because every child deserves to feel successful at the table too. 💛