Before You Treat: What to Notice During a Pediatric Feeding Interaction is a 5-page pediatric feeding observation quick reference designed for SLPs and OTs developing experience in pediatric feeding, particularly with infants and toddlers birth–3.
You already have clinical knowledge. The challenge is knowing how to organize what you're seeing during a real feeding interaction so you can use that knowledge effectively.
Before You Treat uses a holistic approach to feeding observation, helping you slow down and consider the whole feeding ecosystem before deciding what an observation means or what you might change. Rather than jumping directly to a strategy, this guide provides a structured way to notice the child, caregiver, environment, positioning and equipment, food or liquid, feeding task, and the interaction between them.
Use the guide to organize your observations across five areas:
Before Feeding Begins — establish a baseline for the child, caregiver, environment, positioning, and equipment.
Observe the Feeding — notice what is offered and how, engagement and communication, and postural and motor participation.
Observe Feeding Skill — look more closely at bottle feeding, cup and straw drinking, and spoon and solid feeding skills.
Watch What Changes — observe patterns over time, caregiver-child interaction, pacing, response to cues, pressure, and environmental changes.
Step Back and Look at the Feeding Ecosystem — bring your observations together, identify what stood out, notice patterns, and consider what you want to investigate further.
Designed as a quick reference you can use during or after a pediatric feeding interaction, Before You Treat supports organized observation and clinical curiosity without telling you what conclusion to reach.
Best suited for: SLPs and OTs developing experience in pediatric feeding therapy; clinicians working with infants and toddlers in early intervention, home-based, outpatient, or other pediatric settings; and feeding professionals looking for a practical way to organize real-time observations.
You’ll receive: One 5-page downloadable PDF.
Please note: This resource is intended as a professional observation aid. It is not an assessment or diagnostic tool, swallowing safety protocol, or substitute for clinical judgment, appropriate training, or individualized evaluation and treatment.
Before You Treat: What to Notice During a Pediatric Feeding Interaction is a 5-page pediatric feeding observation quick reference designed for SLPs and OTs developing experience in pediatric feeding, particularly with infants and toddlers birth–3.
You already have clinical knowledge. The challenge is knowing how to organize what you're seeing during a real feeding interaction so you can use that knowledge effectively.
Before You Treat uses a holistic approach to feeding observation, helping you slow down and consider the whole feeding ecosystem before deciding what an observation means or what you might change. Rather than jumping directly to a strategy, this guide provides a structured way to notice the child, caregiver, environment, positioning and equipment, food or liquid, feeding task, and the interaction between them.
Use the guide to organize your observations across five areas:
Before Feeding Begins — establish a baseline for the child, caregiver, environment, positioning, and equipment.
Observe the Feeding — notice what is offered and how, engagement and communication, and postural and motor participation.
Observe Feeding Skill — look more closely at bottle feeding, cup and straw drinking, and spoon and solid feeding skills.
Watch What Changes — observe patterns over time, caregiver-child interaction, pacing, response to cues, pressure, and environmental changes.
Step Back and Look at the Feeding Ecosystem — bring your observations together, identify what stood out, notice patterns, and consider what you want to investigate further.
Designed as a quick reference you can use during or after a pediatric feeding interaction, Before You Treat supports organized observation and clinical curiosity without telling you what conclusion to reach.
Best suited for: SLPs and OTs developing experience in pediatric feeding therapy; clinicians working with infants and toddlers in early intervention, home-based, outpatient, or other pediatric settings; and feeding professionals looking for a practical way to organize real-time observations.
You’ll receive: One 5-page downloadable PDF.
Please note: This resource is intended as a professional observation aid. It is not an assessment or diagnostic tool, swallowing safety protocol, or substitute for clinical judgment, appropriate training, or individualized evaluation and treatment.
