I am a pediatric occupational therapist with specialized training in the NICU at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Mercy Hospital in St. Louis during graduate school as well as feeding through SOFFI® (Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants) and TR-eat (Transdisciplinary Effective Assessment and Treatment). This evidence-based approach focuses on safe, responsive, and developmentally appropriate feeding, with an emphasis on reading cues, supporting regulation, and creating positive feeding experiences. My training allows me to support infants with bottle feeding challenges, swallowing concerns as part of a multidisciplinary approach, and transitions to solids while coaching caregivers to feel confident and supported. My guidance is grounded in both clinical expertise and real-life experience, with a strong focus on helping families navigate feeding in a way that feels safe, individualized, and sustainable.
Occupational Therapy’s Role in Feeding: Evidence, Scope, and Why It Matters
Feeding is more than eating—it’s a complex daily routine shaped by sensory, motor, and environmental factors. This post explains the essential role of occupational therapy in feeding intervention and how it works alongside speech therapy to support meaningful mealtime participation in young children.
Tongue Tie, Stretches, and Baby Feeding: What the AAP Now Says (and What Parents Need to Know)
We were told our daughter needed a tongue tie revision, stretches, and oral motor exercises. At the same time, new guidance from the AAP was being released that says many of these interventions are overused and not supported by evidence. Here is what we wish we had known about how babies actually feed and what really matters.