Feeding difficulties and picky eating
When every meal is a struggle, it is exhausting and worrying. You are not doing anything wrong, and there are gentle ways to make eating easier for your child.
See what it looks like at Turtle Express
Signs parents often notice
- Eats only a handful of foods
- Gags or vomits with new foods
- Still only eats mashed food
- Coughs or chokes while eating
- Meals take very long
- Holds food in the mouth
- Needs a screen to eat
How we can help
Finding the reason
We look at your child's mouth skills, sensory needs and mealtime routines together.
Building mouth skills
Exercises for biting, chewing and moving food around the mouth safely.
New foods, no pressure
Small, playful steps to look at, touch, smell and then taste new foods.
Calmer mealtimes
Simple changes to seating, routine and how you offer food at home.
More about feeding difficulties and picky eating
What it is
Every child has foods they don’t like. A feeding difficulty is when eating is hard enough to affect nutrition, growth or family life. It can come from mouth muscle skills, sensory sensitivity, medical issues or a mix of these. It is common in children with autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, but can happen to any child.
What helps
Feeding therapy is gentle and step by step. We never force food.
- Mouth skills: chewing, biting and moving food
- Sensory steps: getting comfortable with new textures, smells and colours
- Mealtime routines: seating, timing and what goes on the plate
- Parent coaching, so progress carries on at home
We celebrate small wins, like touching a new food or licking it. See how our feeding therapy works.
When to get help
See your doctor straight away if your child coughs, chokes or struggles to breathe while eating, or is losing weight. For picky eating that isn’t getting better, talk to us.
Questions parents ask
Is my child just a fussy eater?
Many toddlers go through a picky phase. It is worth getting help if your child eats very few foods, drops foods they used to eat, gags often, or isn't growing well.
Should I force my child to eat?
No. Pressure usually makes eating harder. Offer small amounts of new foods next to foods your child already likes, eat together, and keep mealtimes calm.
Do we need to see a doctor first?
If your child is losing weight, coughs or chokes while eating, or has reflux or constipation, see your paediatrician first. Feeding therapy can run alongside medical care.
Every child is different. If this seems right for your child, please ask your therapist for more details.
Therapies that help
Feeding therapy
For children who eat very few foods, find chewing hard, or won't move on to new textures.
Oral placement therapy
Hands-on work that builds jaw, lip and tongue control for clearer speech and easier eating.
Occupational therapy
For children who find handwriting, movement or everyday tasks like dressing harder than others.
Sensory integration therapy
For children who are over- or under-sensitive to sound, touch or movement.
Worried about your child?
You don’t need a diagnosis to talk to us. Call or WhatsApp, and we’ll help you work out the next step.