Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect to happen during an evaluation in the Pediatric Feeding Disorder Clinic?
The interdisciplinary feeding team: medicine, behavioral psychology, occupational/speech therapy, nutrition, social work and nursing will interview you regarding current feeding practices and your child's feeding history. Additionally, the team will observe your child eating a typical meal. The team will then provide recommendations as to whether your child is a candidate for our intensive day treatment program or outpatient program.
What should I expect a typical day to be like in the intensive day treatment program?
The intensive day treatment program is a Monday through Friday all-day program. Therapy is scheduled between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM. A typical schedule includes five meal/session times, including snacks. Between meal times your child will have scheduled free times and a nap/quiet time. It is important to remember that each child's schedule is determined by his/her health, medical, and feeding needs. Schedules will vary according to the needs of each individual child.
What should I expect a typical visit to be like in the outpatient program?
This program consists of regularly scheduled weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly one-hour visits. We will observe you and your child during a typical meal using the treatment protocol developed by the team. Additionally, the team will then provide further recommendations to continue to make progress in feeding and/or in other areas.
What does your facility offer for my child to do when he/she is not receiving treatment?
Free time can include individual playtime, structured group playtime and schoolwork. Our facility offers an indoor playroom, an outdoor playground and a Kaboom playground. Free time may also include occupational, speech, physical or other outside therapy. However, it is important to remember that each child's schedule is determined by his/her health, medical and feeding needs. Schedules will vary according to the needs of each individual child. We may suggest a short hiatus in outside therapies for the length of the day treatment program in order to provide a more consistent focus for your child on feeding.
What does your facility offer for me to do when my child is not receiving treatment?
Our facility offers a parent lounge, adjacent to the individual nap suites equipped with monitoring devices so caregivers can monitor their child from the parent lounge. If you are traveling from out of state, you may be interested in the many shops and dining areas near the Marcus Autism Center. Both Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza are large shopping plazas nearby with movie theaters. We have a weekly meeting for parents of children in the feeding program to share their experiences with other parents facing similar problems. These meetings provide an opportunity for parents to support each other, share successes and maintain perspective about their children's progress in treatment. Parent meetings are held weekly and are open to parents of children currently in day treatment as well as parents of children who have completed treatment.
Do I supply the food for my child to eat while receiving treatment?
We will supply food and beverages for all of your child's meals while at the Center for the day treatment program. However, the family is required to supply food and beverages for the evaluation and outpatient visits. Our program is equipped with a limited food service facility. The foods we are able to provide include, but are not limited to, jarred baby foods, canned fruits and vegetables, canned and frozen meats, dairy products, convenience foods, condiments, beverages (both high and low calorie) and frozen foods. We are unable to have fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, raw meats or raw eggs. If you would like for these food items to be presented to your child, speak with the nutritionist. These food items can sometimes be brought from home. Near the end of your child's admission, we may ask you to bring food items similar to what your family eats at home.
If my child is tube dependent, how will his/her needs be met while receiving treatment?
The nutritionist and medical team will evaluate your child's oral consumption, daily, throughout the admission. As your child's oral consumption increases, they will adjust your child's tube feeding schedule accordingly.
During my child's admission, when or how often do I need to be present?
The intensive day treatment program requires that you are available for a number of things at the center. Upon admission, we conduct a number of assessments, which require the presence of the caregiver(s) during the first week. Additionally, it is important that you are available for a goal meeting, which will be held one to two weeks after admission. The purpose of this meeting is to establish specific goals for your child's stay in the day treatment program. This goal meeting also will be an opportunity for you to voice any questions and concerns you have pertaining to your child and the treatment he/she will receive during his/her admission, as well as to have input in finalizing your child's treatment goals.
Throughout the admission, you will be involved in our caregiver-training program, which typically takes place over the last few weeks of treatment. Caregiver training is a very important part of our program because we need to prepare you to successfully implement your child's treatment protocols in the home environment. Before discharge we try to have your child feeding in an environment similar to the home environment. This may include bringing your other children and caregivers into the session. If possible, we will conduct meals in the home or school prior to discharge.