Special Kids is a certified Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) provider through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Being a CORF certifies that Special Kids is a medical facility that provides outpatient diagnostic, therapeutic, and restorative services at a single fixed location for the rehabilitation of injury, disability, or sickness. This care is commonly known as outpatient rehabilitation care. Referring physicians to Special Kids must draw up treatment plans and review them at least every 60 days.

To maintain our CORF certification, Special Kids is surveyed and reviewed on a regular basis:

CMS
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Feeding Therapy

Feeding Therapy helps children overcome challenges such as food aversions, swallowing disorders, and oral motor delays, ensuring they receive the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.

Eating

Eating-aversions
Swallowing
Nourishment
Ages birth through 21 Years

Pediatric Feeding Therapy supports children who struggle with eating, drinking, chewing, swallowing, or tolerating different foods and textures.

Feeding is a complex skill that goes far beyond simply eating; it requires coordination of the mouth, tongue, jaw, and sensory system. At Special Kids, our trained speech-language and occupational therapists work with children who experience a variety of feeding challenges, including oral-motor coordination difficulties and sensory-based food aversions.

We tailor each therapy plan to the child’s specific needs, focusing on building safe swallowing strategies, improving food tolerance through sensory integration, and establishing positive mealtime routines. Our approach includes parent coaching to support consistent progress at home and make mealtimes less stressful for families. Whether a child is mildly picky or has severe aversions that affect nutrition, our evidence-based therapy introduces new foods in a systematic, non-threatening way to help every child grow in confidence and achieve feeding success.

Sensory Integration

Safe Swallowing

Parent Coaching

Mealtime Routine

Special Kids Services: Feeding Therapy

FAQ's

How do I know if my child needs Feeding Therapy?

  • Refuses certain textures/food groups or becomes distressed at mealtimes
  • Frequently gags, coughs, or chokes during meals
  • Has difficulty chewing or drinking from a cup/straw
  • Eats very slowly or gets tired while eating
  • Struggles with transitioning from bottle to solids
  • Exhibits feeding delays due to medical or developmental conditions
  • Has a very limited diet
  • Takes an unusually long time to finish meals or tires easily when eating
  • Shows signs of aspiration (coughing after drinking, recurrent pneumonia)
  • Drools excessively or has poor control of saliva
  • Weight gain or growth concerns due to limited intake

Why choose Special Kids for Feeding Therapy?

You're Not Alone – Help Is Available

Feeding difficulties can be frustrating and emotional—for both the child and the family. Our team provides expert, compassionate care to support safer, more enjoyable feeding experiences. If you’re concerned about your child’s eating habits, trust your instincts and reach out for an evaluation.

How does my child get started?

Step 1: Referral
Special Kids is referral-based. When we receive a referral from your provider, that's when the process begins.

Step 2: Intake
The Patient Services Supervisor will call to set up an appointment for the initial evaluation with a therapist. The billing office will work to verify insurance and payment information.

Step 3: Evaluation
One of our therapists will conduct an evaluation with your child to see if therapy is recommended. They will determine how often your child should come for treatment, and then Special Kids will work with you to schedule your regular visits.