Utilizing Sensory Books for Feeding Therapy

Feeding therapy has many pieces to it. Occupational therapists deal with the sensory component of feeding therapy, while a speech language pathologist will look at the oral-motor component. Feeding is an important occupation in the daily lives of children, and thus it is important for OTs to work on a child’s self-feeding and food acceptance.

Occupational therapists work on strategies that address food and tactile sensitivity through increased exposure and sensory-based play. Feeding therapy involves parent coaching to help the parent carry out the interventions at home. Creating a method to incorporate these strategies in the daily occupations and routines of the child is one of the best ways to reinforce what is being taught in feeding therapy.

Sensory Feeding Book

According to AOTA, “although occupational therapy practitioners currently use many evidence-based feeding intervention techniques and coaching principles, synthesizing best practices for evidence-based feeding interventions to support families during naturally occurring feeding routines in the home environment is critical.”¹ Based on this, the children’s sensory feeding book was created and examined in a pilot program..

The book included sensory input (vision, hearing, touch), photographs of food, and repetition of phrases. This was used to increase comfort and establish expectations. Matched with parent education, the book became successful with children. It could be incorporated into reading time and collaborated with therapy. It basically increased the exposure to the foods being pictured, which helped a child be more open to trying that food.

Overall, the study found that the sensory feeding book paired with feeding therapy, is an appropriate tool to utilize for feeding therapy.

• Citation and Source

  1. Gettier, Mindy. “Children with problematic feeding, selective restrictive eating: A pilot program,” OT Practice, 1 June 2022, https://www.aota.org/publications/ot-practice/ot-practice-issues/2022/problematic-feeding-selective-restrictive-eating.