This is not an easy subject. Our house has faced some challenges but not as many as other families. Why? There are a hundred reasons but here are a few that I've seen.
1. Sensory Challenges. Smooth verses chewy vs crunchy. Temperature of food. Lack of feeling hungry. Our son was 18 years old before he ever felt hunger pangs.
2. Physical. Weak muscles to chew and swallow. It takes more work and energy than it is worth to the child.
3. Strong orientation to sameness. I remember having to play the buzzing bee game to get my son to open his mouth for the first bight when he was small. He ate whatever I gave him after the initial bite but that first bite was extremely difficulty.
If your child has gone to a therapeutic feeding program or not, the main thing is consistency and perseverance at mealtimes. It takes a willingness to have mealtimes that take huge amounts of time. There will be meltdowns and all kinds of behavior but a willingness to endure and maintain a calm demeanor will make. Huge difference. As you work through food issues, consider some of the things above. You may gain some new insights that make the process a little more productive.
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