Speech Therapists & Feeding Therapy in NYC for Picky Eaters

How Can Speech Therapists Provide Feeding Therapy in NYC for Young Picky Eaters?

Did you know that some speech therapists also provide feeding therapy in NYC?

Yes, that’s right. Speech-language pathologists are also trained in infant and child feeding development.

Some speech-language therapists train additionally in hospitals and clinics to become experts in childhood and/or adult feeding differences.

I have personally gained experience treating infants and young children in hospitals, clinics, as well as within their home environments. Through speech and feeding therapy, I often treat infants and young children when they are experiencing feeding challenges.

A feeding therapist can work closely with your child’s medical doctor and team to ensure that safe and appropriate textures are being provided during mealtime.

How do you know if your child is having feeding difficulties?

It is important to seek medical guidance as well as obtain an assessment from a speech-language pathologist, who is a trained feeding specialist with the appropriate training and experience in treating feeding difficulties.

Feeding challenges can result from many different causes. This is why it is so important to get assessed by a licensed speech-language pathologist following medical clearance from your child’s medical doctor and team.

A Team Approach to Feeding Therapy in NYC

Ongoing, your child’s pediatrician should also be an integral part of the team.

Feeding difficulties in infants and children can arise from many different reasons such as: an underlying medical diagnosis, structural differences, a muscle weakness, imbalance, asymmetry or motor coordination challenges – to name just a few possible underlying factors.

Feeding differences can also arise from sensitivities to certain tastes, textures, or temperatures.

A child may also experience a combination of both motor and sensory differences, which can result in challenges with certain textures or transitioning to more advanced food textures.

The Role of a Speech Therapist in Navigating Feeding Difficulties

At Chatty Child, I frequently treat children who experience difficulty transitioning through the feeding hierarchy.

I also see children who experience food texture sensitivities and may experience challenges around certain textures, tastes, and temperatures.

These issues can be either muscular or structural in nature, or sensory-based (or a combination of both motoric and sensory challenges).

This is why it is critical to have an experienced speech-language pathologist involved. The speech therapist should have a background in treating children with feeding difficulties. This way, they can assess a child’s feeding behaviors and meal time experiences to determine the root cause of the issue and then address it.

An experienced feeding specialist can help implement a treatment plan that will address and target the root cause of your child’s feeding challenges.

What causes feeding difficulties in children?

As examples to consider, a child may experience difficulty bottle feeding due to reduced lip rounding. Or possibly, reduced strength of the suck, or maybe because of a reduced ability to coordinate a suck-swallow-breathe pattern.

A young child may experience difficulty moving from bottle feeding to a pureed diet if they are experiencing textural, taste, or temperature sensitivities.

A child may also experience challenges when transitioning from soft, pureed foods to harder solids due to either muscular or sensory differences. Or a combination of both.

Additionally, a child may resist consuming harder textures like chicken and vegetables if they lack the motoric ability and muscular strength to chew these harder solids.

Conversely, a child may avoid pureed foods or mixed textured meals (think chicken soup or rice and mixed vegetables) if they are sensitive to certain textures.

How do we treat these feeding difficulties?

Working under the guidance of a trained speech-language pathologist can be an absolute game-changer for you and your child. Especially if they are experiencing any type of feeding challenges.

After receiving medical clearance from your child’s doctor, our highly trained feeding specialists will assess your child’s feeding abilities.

What does a feeding assessment by a speech-language pathologist involve?

We ask the parents and caregivers to bring in a variety of food textures, including:

Pureed foods (mashed potatoes)
Coarse pureed foods (oatmeal)
Soft solids (soft chicken pieces)
Harder solids (fruits and vegetables)
Mixed textures (chicken & rice, oatmeal & fruit)

We also ask the parents and caregivers to bring in a variety of utensils and feeding tools that are being used currently during mealtime:

Bottles and nipples
Bowls & plates
Open cups & straw cups
Spoons & forks

The speech-language pathologist participates in mealtime with the child, parents, and caregivers, while providing a clinical eye.

Depending on the age of the child, the feeding specialist will assess the following during mealtimes:

How the child is managing bottle feeding.
How the child tolerates spoon feeding.
How the child feeds themselves.
How the child drinks from a cup.
How the child drinks from a straw cup.

Developing a Treatment Plan for Feeding Therapy in NYC

Once the assessment is complete, the feeding specialist can develop a treatment plan that may involve weekly treatment sessions. These sessions are designed to help the child participate in mealtime successfully and safely.

Also, a home exercise plan may be constructed to strengthen the child’s oral muscles (lips, tongue, cheeks, and jaw).

Parents and caregivers may be given specific guidance on different textures, temperatures, and tastes to introduce safely. Step-by-step using a structured hierarchy, under the guidance of a licensed speech-language pathologist and feeding specialist.

As the speech-language pathologist, the child and family work together weekly as a team. I have personally seen amazing strides in a child’s ability to safely consume a variety of textures within my own private practice.

Support Your Child’s Feeding Development with Feeding Therapy in NYC

If your child is experiencing feeding difficulties, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a feeding specialist. We can help mealtime become an enjoyable time for your child and the whole family.

At Chatty Child, our experienced speech-language pathologists provide holistic feeding therapy in NYC that supports young children in feeling safe, curious, and confident around food. Through playful, child-led strategies, we help your little one expand their comfort with textures, tastes, and routines at their own pace.

Here’s how to get started:

Schedule a free 15-minute phone conversation to talk about your child’s feeding habits and how we can help.
Book a comprehensive evaluation session to better understand your child’s sensory, behavioral, and oral-motor needs.
Begin individualized therapy sessions that support curiosity, connection, and progress without pressure.
Watch your child thrive as they grow in confidence and expand their comfort with food, bite by bite.

Comprehensive Care That Empowers Kids and Families in New York City

In addition to our core pediatric speech therapy services in NYC, Chatty Child provides a full range of supportive offerings that promote each child’s development while empowering families along the way:

InterAct – A creative therapy program combining storytelling, theater, and movement to build expressive language and spark imagination.
Occupational Therapy – Supports motor development, sensory processing, and everyday independence in a nurturing environment.
Teletherapy – Flexible virtual options for speech and occupational therapy, accessible anywhere in New York State.
Tutoring – Personalized academic guidance in reading, writing, and creative problem-solving to boost skills and confidence.
Functional Nutrition – Whole-child nutrition services designed to support physical growth, emotional regulation, and wellness.
Consulting – Strategic support for families, educators, and care teams to ensure continuity across home, school, and therapy settings.
Programs – Small-group experiences that nurture emotional development, communication, and joyful learning through play.

Together, we can support your child in building lasting confidence, connection, and communication skills.

To book an in-person or online speech therapy assessment and treatment sessions with Heather Lynn Boerner, MA CCC/SLP, please visit our website at: www.chattychild.com; email: info@chattychild.com; or call: 347 491 4451

Sincerely,

Heather Lynn Boerner, MA CCC/SLP

All About Heather Boerner: A Pediatric Speech Therapist in NYC

Heather Lynn Boerner, MA CCC/SLP, is a nationally certified and New York State licensed speech-language pathologist with more than 20 years of experience supporting children through speech therapy in NYC. In addition to her clinical expertise, Heather is a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher, a trauma-informed practitioner, and proudly identifies as a neurodiverse and differently-abled individual, insights that shape her inclusive, compassionate care.

Motivated by her own lived experience, Heather founded Chatty Child Speech, Occupational & Physical Therapy, PLLC, a warm, creative space that honors each child’s voice and growth. She is also the author of Carrie the Colorful Chameleon, a heart-centered children’s book that celebrates curiosity, friendship, and confidence, complete with a helpful guide for parents and educators.

Heather’s team provides both in-person services at their Tribeca clinic and virtual sessions throughout New York State, supporting children as they grow in communication, courage, and connection.

Chatty Child Speech, Occupational & Physical Therapy, PLLC

Creating Possibilities .. one child at a time ..

Chatty Child Provides Pediatric Speech & Occupational Therapy & Classes in Tribeca, Manhattan, NYC – In Person at 325 Broadway Suite 403 New York, NY 10007 & serving the entire state of New York including: NYC, Westchester, Hudson Valley, Long Island via online therapy in New York State.