Using the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding, pediatric therapists can target the development of skills that allow children to explore and engage with new foods. Developed by Dr. Kay Toomey, the SOS Approach is backed by over 30 years of research. The program uses child-led systematic desensitization and extensive parent education to help families re-structure mealtime, creating positive experiences for the whole family. Children are empowered to interact with food as they are developmentally ready, gaining the skills to dig into new foods for a lifetime to come!

Your child might benefit from feeding therapy if he/she:

• Is not progressing on the growth chart as expected
• Demonstrates choking, gagging or coughing during meals
• Has/had difficulty introducing purees and solid foods
• Avoids all foods in a texture or nutrition group
• Regularly eats less than 30 foods
• Is reported as a “picky eater” at 2 or more well-child check ups
• Is difficult for everyone to feed
• Frequently eats a different meal than the rest of the family, making mealtime stressful
• Experiences “burn out” with preferred foods, leading to refusal of foods they usually like

Help is available! Call our Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy Department at 360.299.1328 to schedule an appointment.

Occupational Therapist Brady Mays, MS, OTR/L received her Master of Science degree in occupational therapy from Tennessee State University in 2018 and has advanced training in the SOS Approach to Feeding. Mays enjoys working with children and helping families transition from mealtime struggles to mealtime successes.