Is my child's picky eating a feeding disorder?

Most picky eating in toddlerhood is typical. A feeding disorder involves significant distress, fewer than 20 accepted foods, nutritional impact, or physical symptoms like gagging — and does not resolve with typical parenting. If mealtimes are stressful and your child's diet is very restricted, an assessment is worthwhile.

Do you force children to eat new foods?

Never. Our approach is entirely pressure-free. We work through a systematic food hierarchy where each step builds comfort and tolerance. Forcing food creates trauma, not progress — every step is child-led.

Can you help with tube-to-oral feeding transitions?

Yes — this is a specialist area for our team. Tube weaning is done collaboratively with your child's medical team, always at the child's pace and within safe parameters.

My child only eats 5–6 foods. Can therapy help?

Yes. This is exactly the profile we work with most. Using the SOS hierarchy, we systematically expand accepted foods, starting from the child's preferred textures and profiles and building outward.

All services

Feeding

Pediatric Feeding Therapy

Transdisciplinary, evidence-based support for children with feeding difficulties — from picky eaters to complex tube-to-oral transitions.

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One of India's few

centres certified in the SOS Approach to Feeding

COSMI

DCCD's own evidence-based feeding methodology

0–12

years — age range supported across all feeding profiles

The essentials

What is Feeding Therapy?

Pediatric Feeding Therapy addresses the sensory, oral motor, behavioural, physiological, and environmental factors behind feeding difficulties. Whether your child refuses entire food groups, gags at textures, struggles with safe swallowing, or is transitioning off tube feeding, our certified feeding specialists work systematically to expand the child's comfort, confidence, and nutritional intake — without pressure or force. DCCD is one of India's few centres certified in the SOS Approach to Feeding.

Who benefits

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Extreme picky eating and food refusal
Texture aversions and sensory-based feeding challenges
Gagging, choking, or unsafe swallowing
Tube-to-oral feeding transitions
Breastfeeding or bottle difficulties in infants
Nutritional concerns due to limited food repertoire

How we work

Our approach

Evidence-based methods selected and combined specifically for each child's profile — never a one-size-fits-all programme.

SOS Approach to Feeding

Sequential Oral Sensory approach from the Star Institute — DCCD is one of India's few certified SOS centres. Systematic, play-based, and structured around a 32-step food hierarchy.

COSMI

DCCD's own flagship feeding methodology developed by our Clinical Head, integrating oral motor, sensory, and mealtime environment interventions in a single evidence-based framework.

Beckman Oral Motor Protocol

Structured sensory and motor input to improve oral awareness, strength, and coordination for safer, more efficient eating.

DIR Floortime (Feeding Adaptation)

Relationship-based framework embedded in feeding therapy to reduce anxiety and build positive mealtime associations through play.

Mealtime Environment Coaching

We work with families to restructure mealtimes — positioning, scheduling, sensory environment — alongside clinical sessions for maximum carry-over.

What to expect

Feeding therapy sessions last 40 minutes and are highly individualized. Your child's first assessment maps their 32-step food hierarchy, sensory profile, oral motor function, and mealtime behaviours. Sessions are play-based and pressure-free — we never force eating. Parents observe and participate in every session so strategies transfer directly to home mealtimes. Tube-weaning programmes include coordination with your child's medical team.

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Related conditions

Pediatric Feeding Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cerebral Palsy

Developmental Delay

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Ready to take the first step?

Our intake assessment gives our clinical team the information needed to build the right Feeding Therapy plan for your child.

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