Feeding Programs
Fraser® Rehabilitation Services
Fraser Feeding Programs are designed to help manage or overcome common feeding difficulties in children with disabilities, particularly children with autism spectrum disorders. Feeding difficulties can include: gagging and vomiting; refusing to eat food categories; eating only specific foods; overstuffing the mouth; tolerating only specific brands; and swallowing difficulties.
These programs are provided through Fraser Rehabilitation Services, which provide comprehensive evaluation, consultation, and treatment services for children with motor and sensory dysfunction, decreased functional and developmental skills, feeding and swallowing difficulties, and speech, language, and hearing disorders. These therapy services are provided with an interdisciplinary approach and each child’s goals and activities are individualized, based on strengths, challenges, and motivations. Fraser therapists collaborate with parents, caregivers, teachers, and mental health practitioners to maximize results.
Services Provided
- Feeding clinic, including comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluations with a psychologist, speech-language pathologist, and an occupational therapist
- Feeding therapy program, based on the S.O.S (Sequential Oral Sensory) approach
- Oral-motor program
- Occupational therapy
The Fraser Feeding Therapy Program is based on the S.O.S approach which uses typical feeding development as a template for increasing skill. During therapy, children are encouraged to interact with foods in a non-threatening environment. They learn to trust people with food (their usual experience is for someone to try to get it in their mouth) and they learn how to interact with foods gradually (first seeing, then touching, then tasting, with the ultimate goal of eating). Foods are presented in a specific hierarchy, where each food is linked to the previous food by at least one characteristic (color, shape, flavor).
Ages Served
Evaluations are provided for children of all ages; treatment is recommended on the individual needs of the child, not based on age.
Our Staff
A team approach is used by the psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists that provide the feeding programs. Team members are trained in the S.O.S. approach to feeding.
Program Highlights
- Each service is individualized to the child’s needs and family’s goals.
- Services can vary in frequency and composition.
- Gluten free/casein free diet available.
Location
| Fraser Child & Family Center 3333 University Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55414 |
Fraser School 2400 W. 64th Street Minneapolis, MN 55423 |
Payment/Funding
Insurance, Medical Assistance/TEFRA, prepaid health plans (PMAP), county funding, private pay.
For information, contact: Rehabilitation Intake Coordinator 612-331-9413