New Feeding Team Committed to Helping Families

Using the Sequential-Oral-Sensory Feeding Approach

Did you know a wide variety of studies suggest that, on average, 20% or 1 in 5 children struggle with some type of feeding and/or growth issue during the first 5 years of life? These are the children we need to help identify and refer for therapy as soon as possible. Sunshine School is committed to offering the best programs we can to meet the needs of those children and families that are struggling. For many, feeding issues go far beyond “picky eating” and meal-time tantrums. Things like trauma, sensory processing disorders, and challenges with a child’s oral structures can leave families feeling desperate for intervention. Sunshine School, with support from the Nadine L. Baum Charitable Trust, sent some of our occupational therapists, speech-language therapists, and nursing staff to an intensive 4-day training on The SOS (Sequential-Oral-Sensory) Approach to Feeding Program. This approach, developed by Dr. Kay Toomey, is used worldwide to treat feeding issues in infants, children, and adolescents. It is a transdisciplinary, holistic and family-centered program based on Dr. Toomey’s 30 years of clinical experience in treating children who struggle to eat. We are excited to be able to offer this feeding program to our students and families. Since the training, our team has been able to purchase supplies and equipment to start this program thanks to generous donors and grants.

For more information about the SOS Approach to Feeding, visit sosapproachtofeeding.com.

You can also contact the Sunshine School & Development Center’s Feeding Team for more information by emailing our Therapy Manager at elizabeth.brown@nwasunshineschool.org.