Mesh Feeder Giveaway

Want to win a pair of  mesh feeders?
Visit and like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/speakeatplay and comment below. Winner will be announced Sunday August 18th at 10pm eastern time. Good Luck!

(**UPDATE, this giveway has ended,  we are sorry you missed it, but you can purchase these mesh feeders, HERE. You can also read our post on why we love them so much, HERE.  Be sure to follow us for future giveaways).

Ice Cube Trays for Meal Time!

By Karina Gonzalez, MS CCC-SLP

I want to share a great motivational feeding tool that only costs a dollar! Ice cube trays! I started using them recently in my feeding sessions and they have been working out great! I use them with both picky eaters and with children that have issues with pacing and overstuff their mouths.

For picky eaters, I find that when you use an ice cube tray instead of a plate, they are more open to trying the new food. The spaces allow you to place the bites individually and to a child with food aversion, it is not as scary as having all the food bunched up on a plate. They also provide the child with a visual of when he is done with the meal. You can fill all the spaces or just a few, and your child will know that once he finishes all the pieces, he is done! This usually gets them more motivated to participate. Plus, it’s just more fun than a plate!

Whenever I introduce a new food, I always start small (think crumb size) and I start with only 5 ice cube spaces. At the following meal, I will increase it to 6 and so on. I will also increase the size of the crumb to the size of a pea, then dime, etc. If your child is not doing well with the smallest size and quantity then you will need to stay at this level for a few more meals.

On the other hand, if your child overstuffs his mouth, you can use the tray to remind him to take “one bite” at a time. You can cover the holes with your hand or a paper showing him only one at a time. Tell him to chew and swallow before opening the next hole.

If your child needs more motivation, purchase these robot ice cube trays for boys HERE and princess trays for girls HERE.

I hope this simple tool can make meal times more manageable. Please comment below, we love to hear your thoughts.

Have you read my post on making meal time fun, HERE? and Food Play for Picky Eaters, HERE 
Also take a look at these fun face plates,HERE. 

As always, we are here to help you may contact us with any questions or concerns speakeatplay@gmail.com

Food Play for Problem Feeders

Play with your food!

Karina Gonzalez, M.S., CCC-SLP

Do you remember your parents telling you to not play with your food? Well, I'm here to tell you that for a picky eater or a child that is aversive to textures, playing with food is a must. All children need to explore textures with their hands. Exploring the textures of food, helps to develop a good eating habit. It is important to start early, yes as soon as he's old enough to sit on a high chair, and don't be afraid to get messy! Playing with food has many benefits, here are a few:

• Allows the child to become comfortable with the colors, textures, and smells of food with out having to eat it.
• Makes meal time fun.
• Helps get rid of any sensory issues on the hands and fingers (Some of these kids don't like to touch sand, grass, or even soap).
• Builds confidence, especially if you reward them.
• Develops good eating habits (as mentioned above).
• Develops good hand-eye coordination.
• Develops find motor skills, especially if they have to pick up small foods like Cheerios or slippery ones like spaghetti.
• Develops hand to mouth coordination that will also help with overall self feeding skills.
• Helps to develop play skills. 

Mesh Feeders

Why I Love Mesh Feeders (Available for purchase HERE)

By Karina Gonzalez, MS, CCC-SLP.

    

 Picture source: Amazon.com

Many parents are afraid of introducing solid foods due to the risk of choking, however, this fear can be put at ease with a mesh feeder. Mesh feeder are exactly what the name says, it’s a mesh pocket that can be filled with fruits, veggies or any other solid food you would like your child to have. They have a plastic handle that babies can use to grip. As your child chews and suckles on the feeder, the contents come out through the mesh in a mushy texture that is safe for your baby to swallow. A mesh feeder can be used as early as 4 months of age, as long as your child has good head control and has no issues with swallowing. There are many benefits to using a mesh feeder, and these include:

Meal Time Tips for Picky Eaters

Making Meal Time with your Picky Eater Easier

by Karina Gonzalez, MS CCC-SLP

Having a picky eater can be very stressful at times, but there some simple changes you can make that may help. Here are a couple of tips I have learned about that will make meal times easier.  

·        Focus on making meal times enjoyable andrelaxing: play games, lay out food in the shape of a happy face, have a contest. Make it fun, fun, fun!

·        Reward your child for every bite he takes, youcan praise him or high five.

·        Battles and forcing your child will only make apicky eater pickier. Keep it positive and fun!

·        Do not bribe your child, this will only make himmore aversive to food, just simply let him try the food on his own terms. Youmay need to present the new food 10 times before he will try it.

·        Offer new foods when your child is hungry andrested.

·        Give only 1 new food at a time.

·        Give the new food with favorite foods toencourage acceptance.

·        Show him you like the new food. Take a bite, andsay “delicious”.

·        Encourage your child to play with the new foodand allow him to get messy. (Have you read my post about playing with food? read it HERE.

·        Use dips or sauces. Read my post on how much fun ice cube trays can be,HERE. 

·        Limit the amount of liquid your child eats,often times they get full on liquids and will not be hungry enough to eat.

·        Have a feeding schedule of 3 meals, limitsnacking to 2 times per day and try to eat at the same times every day.  Having this schedule will allow your child toget hungry between meals.

·        Feed your child at the same time as the rest ofthe family. Also, at the dinner table for every meal. Avoid eating on thecouch, or in the play room.

·        Allow your child to help you cook and servefood.

·        Have “lunch dates” with your child and otherchildren. Children copy from each other!

·        Change something about his favorite foods, like:shape, color, brand, or size, so that your child does not get tired of eatingthe little bit of foods he enjoys.

• If you have a picky infant you can try a mesh feeder, read HERE.
• Be sure to also read my post on pacifier use and how it can affect your child's feeding, HERE. As well as when to stop the bottle, HERE.

I hope these tips can help make meal times a little easier for you, if you need individualized help pleasecontact me speakeatplay@gmail.com . And remember, having a picky eater is very common and is normalpart of childhood development.

Do you think your child's picky eating is a cause for concern?, please read HERE.
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