MANHATTAN, NYC FEEDING EVALUATION THERAPY FOR BABIES, TODDLERS, AND CHILDREN
MANHATTAN, NYC FEEDING EVALUATION THERAPY FOR BABIES, TODDLERS, AND CHILDREN
As Featured In:
We provide in-home feeding support across Manhattan, with remote options available when appropriate. Licensed speech-language pathologists and specialists work directly with families in Manhattan homes to support feeding development, communication, school readiness, and early learning goals.
Licensed Speech Pathologists Travel To Your Manhattan, NYC Home! Private Pay In-Person & Remote Feeding Evaluation Therapy for Babies, Toddlers, and Children | Free Consultations & Free Consultations & Meet-and-Greets With Clinicians We Work With | No Contracts, Pay As You Go!
This work is designed for families seeking proactive and enrichment-oriented support, not only for children with clear developmental delays.
WE TRAVEL TO YOU THROUGHOUT MANHATTAN:
Battery Park City, Bowery, Carnegie Hill, Central Harlem, Central Midtown, Chelsea, Chinatown, Civic Center, Clinton, Columbus Circle, Cooperative Village, Diamond District, East Harlem, East Village, Financial District, Flatiron District, Garment District, Governors Island, Gramercy Park, Greenwich Village, Hamilton Heights, Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen, Hudson Square, Hudson Yards, Inwood, Kips Bay, Lenox Hill, Lincoln Square, Little Italy, Lower East Side, Manhattan Valley, Marble Hill, Meatpacking District, Midtown, Midtown East, Midtown South, Morningside Heights, Murray Hill, NoHo, NoLita, Peter Cooper Village, Roosevelt Island, Seaport District, SoHo, South Street Seaport, Stuyvesant Town, Sutton Place, Theatre District, Times Square, TriBeCa, Turtle Bay, Union Square, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Washington Heights, Waterside Plaza, West Harlem, West Village, Yorkville.
Many Manhattan families begin support early rather than waiting. Proactive support helps prevent gaps from developing while helping children maintain strong developmental and academic progress over time.
We also travel to:
The Bronx, Riverdale, and Yonkers
Licensed Speech-Language Pathologists and Therapists We Work With
Licensed speech-language pathologists provide in-home support across Manhattan, with remote options available when appropriate. Services are delivered in the home, allowing specialists to work directly with families in Manhattan homes. Some of the speech-language pathologists we work with are trained in the Orton Gillingham approach. Many of the speech-language pathologists we work with are trained in literacy and offer support with decoding, spelling, and reading fluency services. Speech-language pathologists and therapists we work with provide services to babies, toddlers, school-age students, and adults with expertise in:
We also support families pursuing homeschooling for K–5 students, offering personalized in-home or remote instruction tailored to each child’s learning style and needs.
What This Service Is
Feeding support helps children develop functional eating skills, oral motor coordination, and positive mealtime experiences.
Manhattan feeding support combines professional expertise with a family-centered approach. In-home specialists work with babies, toddlers, and children in familiar environments while supporting communication, feeding development, and school readiness.
We provide in-home feeding support across Manhattan, with remote options available when appropriate.
When Families Seek This Support
Families often seek feeding support when children need additional guidance with eating development or mealtime skills.
Families may seek support when children show early signs of difficulty, are not progressing as expected, or need additional support with feeding routines. Many Manhattan families begin support early rather than waiting, especially when they want to maintain progress and build strong foundations.
Families may also seek support proactively to prevent gaps or for enrichment-focused development that helps children continue building confidence and independence.
How It Works
In-home feeding support provides individualized guidance based on each child’s developmental needs and family goals.
The process begins with a consultation to understand family concerns, current skills, routines, and goals. Specialists then provide personalized in-home support delivered in the home, with remote options available when appropriate.
Families receive practical strategies designed to support continued growth, communication, and independence.
When Children Benefit (Decision Section)
Children benefit from support when families want early guidance, continued progress, or enrichment opportunities.
Families typically seek support in three situations:
- Early concerns: when a child shows early signs of difficulty or is not progressing as expected.
- Proactive support: when families want to start early and prevent gaps from developing.
- Enrichment-focused support: when children are ready for more advanced instruction and continued skill development.
Why Manhattan Families Choose This
Manhattan families value personalized, in-home services that fit their children’s schedules and learning environments.
Families often choose in-home support because specialists work directly with families in Manhattan homes. This approach allows support to be integrated into daily routines while providing personalized attention.
Brooklyn Letters focuses on clinical speech-language and literacy intervention, while Manhattan-based services emphasize proactive, early, and enrichment-oriented academic and language support.
Licensed Speech-Language Pathologists and Therapists We Work With
Licensed speech-language pathologists travel to you, and remote services are also offered. Some of the speech-language pathologists we work with are trained in the Orton Gillingham approach. Many of the speech-language pathologists we work with are trained in literacy and offer support with decoding, spelling, and reading fluency services. Speech-language pathologists and therapists we work with provide services to babies, toddlers, school-age students, and adults with expertise in:
- Pronunciation/Enunciation
- Articulation
- Expressive Language Disorder
- Writing & Speaking Therapy
- Comprehension- Listening & Reading
- Listening Comprehension
- Auditory Processing
- Vocabulary
- Teens- Language Therapy
- Stuttering
- Feeding
- Oral Motor
- Voice
- AAC
- Adult Speech Therapy
- Public Speaking
- Accent Reduction Modification Speech Therapy
We also support families pursuing homeschooling for K–5 students, offering personalized in-home or remote instruction tailored to each child’s learning style and needs.
Training/Certifications
Training/Certifications
Eating is a primary human activity needed for survival. But for very young children, feeding can be a complicated task that needs complex coordination of different oral motor skills—biting, chewing, and finally, swallowing. Most babies and toddlers learn instinctively over time how to suck, bite, chew, and swallow food and how to drink from a nipple, straw, and cup. But there are some who demonstrate difficulty learning these oral motor skills, interfering with their feeding development.
Young children begin their feeding journey by first learning how to suck liquids and then chew single grain cereals or pureed food. When introducing solids, it is a messy process that needs plenty of practice and monitoring from parents. Certain difficulties like gagging, pushing food back, spills, and trouble with swallowing are normal and correct themselves over time. But for children with a feeding delay or disorder, these challenges will persist even as they get older.
Read about Feeding Developmental Milestones.
Some children benefit from additional feeding support when eating skills, oral motor development, or mealtime routines are developing differently than expected.
It often involves delays and difficulties in eating, drinking, chewing, sucking, and swallowing as well as food aversions, food refusal, and food and texture selectivity. Swallowing problems or dysphagia refers to problems in one or more areas of the three phases of swallowing. These phases or stages are:
- Oral phase – The sucking, chewing, and moving of food or liquid into the throat. Feeding is part of the oral phase.
- Pharyngeal phase – The squeezing of food down the throat, which begins the swallowing action.
- Esophageal phase – The opening and closing of the esophagus as it squeezes food down to the stomach.
Feeding disorders can occur alongside developmental delays or medical conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or respiratory disorders.
About Infant Feeding Evaluations
Pediatric feeding disorders are characterized by challenges in oral intake that are not typical for a child’s age. It often involves delays and difficulties in eating, drinking, chewing, sucking, and swallowing as well as food aversions, food refusal, and food and texture selectivity. Swallowing problems or dysphagia refers to problems in one or more areas of the three phases of swallowing. These phases or stages are:
- Oral phase – The sucking, chewing and moving of food or liquid into the throat. Feeding is part of the oral phase.
- Pharyngeal phase – The squeezing of food down the throat, which begins the swallowing action.
- Esophageal phase – The opening and closing of the esophagus as it squeezes food down to the stomach.
How Feeding Therapy Helps
- A feeding disorder can occur alongside developmental delays or medical conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or respiratory disorders.
- Young children with feeding difficulties typically demonstrate a delay in or difficulty swallowing, sucking, chewing, and display food aversions, food refusal, texture selectivity, and food selectivity. Many factors can cause a young child to become a picky eater.
- Feeding therapy involves improving the child’s oral motor and underlying feeding skills and eating habits. Licensed speech-language pathologists assess the child’s sucking, swallowing, chewing patterns, diet, behavior, and the home environment during meal time. Once the underlying problem(s) are pinpointed, a family treatment plan is created. Some children require additional one-on-one feeding therapy, and the speech-language pathologist demonstrates to the parent how to tackle their child’s feeding or eating delay.
Causes of Feeding Disorders
Several factors can cause feeding and swallowing disorders. Infants who were hospitalized at birth and received tracheotomy for an extended time will often have difficulties adopting proper feeding patterns. In some cases, even children with no known conditions or relevant medical histories can develop a fear of food.
Other possible factors that could lead to feeding and swallowing disorders include:
- cerebral palsy, meningitis, and other nervous system disorders
- autism
- stomach problems, such as reflux
- premature or low birth weight
- heart disease
- cleft lip or palate
- asthma or other respiratory problems
- muscle weakness in the face and neck and other head or neck problems
- medication that causes sleepiness or loss of appetite
- sensory issues
- behavioral problems
Signs and Symptoms of Feeding and Swallowing Disorders
Feeding and swallowing disorders in children are often difficult to spot at first. Most of the time, children who struggle during mealtimes are simply assumed to be picky eaters. And while this is true for many, there are other signs and symptoms that family members can consider to distinguish between a child who is a picky eater or one with a feeding problem. These include:
- back arching and stiffening during meal times
- crying, fussing, or falling asleep when feeding
- throwing tantrums when presented with new or unfamiliar foods
- trouble breathing while eating or drinking
- coughing, choking, or gagging during meals
- preference for specific textures of food (crunch or soft food) or aversion to a particular food group
- taking a long time to eat or simply refusing
- struggling to chew or swallow
- excessive drooling during meals, has liquid come out of mouth or nose, or gets stuffy
- frequently spitting or throwing up
- not gaining weight or growing
- eating less than 20 types of foods
- refusing to eat meals with the family or a group
Meanwhile, a child who is a picky eater may sometimes exhibit similar behaviors as someone with a feeding disorder. However, there are key differences to monitor. Typical signs of a picky eater are:
- eats a limited variety of foods (around 30 types)
- consumes enough calories daily for growth and nutrition
- often loses interest in a particular food but will accept it again after a certain period
- accepts and eats at least one food from all food groups
- allows new or unfamiliar food on the plate even if they do not touch or eat it
How to Treat Feeding Disorders
Treatment for feeding or swallowing disorders starts with getting a comprehensive check on the child’s general health. A pediatrician can assess the child’s growth and weight based on what is appropriate for his or her age. Children must also be checked for any condition that interferes with feeding skills. If your child’s doctor determines that there is cause for concern, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) may be consulted to conduct an assessment and provide a diagnosis.
During the evaluation, the SLP will:
- ask questions about the child’s medical history and overall development
- observe how the child moves his or her mouth, tongue, and jaw when eating and drinking various foods and liquids.
- watch how the child eats and take note of the way he or she picks up food, chews, swallows, and drinks
- observe the child’s behavior during meals
- consider the parent child interactions
- assess mealtime routines
- conduct additional special tests, if necessary
Once a diagnosis is made, the SLP may work as part of a team to design a feeding therapy plan for the child. This team may include an occupational or physical therapist, a dietitian or nutritionist, a physician or nurse, or a developmental specialist.
As part of the multidisciplinary team, the SLP can help your child address the following issues:
- improving the child’s tongue and jaw movement
- Improving lateral chewing
- introducing new foods and drinks
- improving the way the child sucks from a bottle or drinks from a cup
- adjusting textures of food and thickness of liquids to make swallowing easier
- encouraging good behavior during meals, such as increased focus at meal times, not refusing food, and not fussing
- addressing the child’s sensory issues (how the food feels in his or her mouth or hands)
The SOS Approach to Feeding
The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding therapy addresses not only the child’s eating difficulties but also its underlying causes. It is based on the feeding steps, stages, and skills found in typically developing children. The SOS approach relies on several factors, including motor, oral, behavioral/learning, medical, sensory, and nutrition, in determining the root cause of a child’s feeding problems and managing it successfully.
In conducting SOS feeding therapy, it is important to create an environment wherein a child can interact and get familiarized with food in a non-stressful way. Therapy may be done individually, as a group, or at home, with the primary goal of helping the child develop and master the necessary skills to become a healthy and safe eater.
Therapy meals are done to help children work on feeding skills and expose them to new foods. It typically starts with foods the child is already familiar with and able to tolerate before moving on to new ones. The therapist encourages the child to smell the food, learn about its texture, and explore its taste. Modeling and reinforcement are crucial during therapy in order to help the child develop a positive relationship with food.
The SOS approach can also be applied during family meals, wherein the goal is to improve the volume or amount of the child’s food intake. Feeding strategies may include:
-
Serving a piece or spoonful of every food offered on the child’s plate. Whether the child eats it or not, the goal is to familiarize them with the food’s texture, smell, color, and where it comes from.
-
Including at least one food that the child is guaranteed to eat in order to expose the child to new foods while still ensuring they are eating the right amount of food.
-
Parents modeling good eating habits and describing the food and its taste.
-
Praising the child’s attempt to eat or explore new foods but taking care to not let the child be the sole focus of the meal.
At Manhattan Letters, feeding therapy involves improving the underlying feeding skills and eating habits of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Licensed speech-language pathologists assess the child’s sucking, swallowing, chewing patterns, diet, behavior, and the home environment during meal time. Once the underlying problem(s) are pinpointed, a family treatment plan is created. Some children require additional one-on-one feeding therapy, and licensed speech-language pathologists demonstrate to the parent how to tackle their child’s feeding and/or eating delay.
Read about Early Childhood Developmental Milestones.
Manhattan and Westchester Rates
Feeding Therapy
-
$155-$200 for 60 minutes
-
$135-$185 for 45 minutes
-
$105-$140 for 30 minutes
Feeding Evaluations
-
$350 – $600 for Feeding (any age) – evaluations performed by infant feeding specialists when warranted (see below for more information)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions help Manhattan families understand in-home feeding support options.
Do you provide in-home feeding support in Manhattan?
Yes. We provide in-home feeding support across Manhattan, including neighborhoods such as the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Tribeca, Chelsea, and Midtown.
Is remote support available?
Remote options are available when appropriate based on family goals and service needs.
When should families consider feeding support?
Families may consider support when children show early signs of difficulty, are not progressing as expected, or when families want proactive guidance to maintain strong development.
Do children need a diagnosis to receive support?
No. Families may seek support for early development, school readiness, skill building, or enrichment-focused goals.
Manhattan Letters’ new chatbot (hosted on their parent company Brooklyn Letters’ website) offers quick, evidence-based answers to your developmental pediatric speech and language questions. It helps you make informed decisions without the hassle of sifting through extensive information online. It’s an excellent resource for parents, SLPs, psychologists, and other professionals seeking concise guidance on speech and language development, including understanding the crucial difference between chronological and linguistic age, speech sound acquisition, and language milestones.
Christina
CCC- SLP NEW YORK STATE LICENSED SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Ben I.
M.S., CCC- SLP, TSSLD, SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Sarah
MS., CCC-SLP, SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST, NEW YORK STATE LICENSED CLINICIAN
Christina A.
M.S., CCC- SLP, SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Rachel
M.S., CCC-SLP, TSSLD, QOM
Aileen S.
Speech-Language Therapist, M.S. CCC-SLP, TSSLD
FREE CONSULTATION!!!
Call & Text: (917) 426-8880
Email: manhattan@brooklynletters.com
(we respond to email right away!)