Mealtimes are about so much more than just nutrition—they are a sensory, motor, and social experience. From a baby learning to suck and swallow, to a toddler transitioning to solid foods, chewing diverse textures, and using utensils, feeding skills are highly complex. Occupational therapy helps make mealtimes peaceful and successful by addressing both mechanical strength and sensory comfort.
Foundations of Happy Mealtimes
How mechanics, oral structures, and textures combine to support happy, stress-free feeding.
Feeding Therapy & Solids
Supports babies and children transitioning to purees, starting solids (Baby-Led Weaning), introducing new textures, and using utensils. By breaking feeding down into playful sensory steps, we help children overcome food anxieties, sensory sensitivity, and structural fatigue.
Oral Motor Coordination
Addresses the movement and strength of the lips, cheeks, jaw, and tongue. Developing tongue elevation and lateralization (moving food to molars to chew) is vital for efficient chewing and safe swallowing. Oral motor activities include blowing, straw-drinking, and cheek/lip exercises.
Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTs)
Tongue, lip, or buccal ties can limit oral range of motion, causing feeding fatigue, reflux, poor latching, and chronic neck/shoulder tension. Pre-operative and post-operative bodywork strategies stretch and re-train muscles for optimal oral range of motion and feeding comfort.
Feeding & Oral Motor Resources
Read our clinical experiences, combined models, and fun oral motor play.
5 Minute Friday - Pom Poms!
Transform pom poms or cotton balls into powerful developmental tools! This 5 Minute Friday offers quick, sensory-rich activities for babies, toddlers, and big kids to boost fine motor, oral motor, and visual skills.
5 Minute Friday - Straws!
Grab a straw! This 5 Minute Friday shows how this simple item can boost oral motor skills, fine motor coordination, pre-writing development, and sensory regulation for babies, toddlers, and big kids.
Infant Tongue Tie - My Experience with Tongue Tie Release as a Mom and OT
Maria O'Farrell shares her personal and professional insights on identifying infant tongue ties, the decision-making process for release, and the crucial therapies involved before and after the procedure.
Struggling with bottle transitions, solids, or tongue-ties?
We provide direct, play-based feeding therapy evaluations and treatments in the comfort of your home in Buckhead, Brookhaven, and Brookhaven neighborhoods.
Contact Maria