ARK's Blog

Finger feeding is a very important step towards 1. feeding independence and 2. setting the stage for healthy eating habits.  Finger feeding typically starts at about 8-10 months, but of course there are always exceptions.  A friend of mine didn’t start with her baby until 11 months of age for example. In order to be ready for finger feeding, your child needs to be able to …

Question:  I am working with a 2-year-old with CP.  I cannot get him to take consecutive bites of food.  He takes one bite and lets it sit in his mouth until it dissolves, then swallows it.  I have to prompt him to open his mouth and take another bite.  I am using the Z-Vibe on sides of mouth, he will bite one time, then I have to prompt him to open mouth. Any ideas? &n …

Before mealtime: •  Play with sensory-stimulating toys, such as koosh balls, peanut balls, bubbles, play-doh, massagers, any toys/books with interesting textures, etc. •  Give the child sensory input through physical sensory-stimulating activities, such as bouncing on a ball, jumping, swinging, etc. . In preparation for mealtime: •  Put the child in a highchair/booster …

OFFER A VARIETY Kids are naturally curious, so try offering them a variety of different foods to explore.  Put a different bite-sized snack in each compartment of an ice-cube tray or a muffin tin.  Include some of their preferred foods as well as soon non-preferred foods.  They will likely gravitate to their preferred foods and that's ok - just having the other foods …