My 3-year-old has been in feeding therapy since he was 1. He’s autistic level 2 and also had congenital cataracts that were removed right before he turned one, so he’s had a lot going on developmentally from the beginning.
He has never liked food or textures on his hands and has always struggled with self-feeding. The only things he will sometimes feed himself are certain meltable snacks, but even that isn’t consistent.
We have seen progress with chewing because he used to pocket food in his mouth and just hold it without swallowing or spitting it out. Now he’s starting to chew more, which is a huge improvement for him.
I’m just starting to feel like OT alone may not be enough, and I’m wondering if anyone else has dealt with severe feeding/sensory issues like this. I’d really appreciate hearing what therapies, strategies, or supports helped your child.