Support for feeding during toddlerhood.
Moving from milk to solids, developing healthy eating behaviours and transitioning to feeding autonomy are all a part of a child's development. Along the way, children build skills in sensory processing, posture and movement, chewing and oral-motor coordination, communication and self-feeding. Their readiness, confidence and experiences also shape how they learn to eat.
Mealtimes should also feel enjoyable for the whole family — we would like to help you get there.
What might feeding difficulty during toddlerhood look like?
What might feeding difficulty during toddlerhood look like?
These are some of the concerns families bring to Thrive.
These are some of the concerns families bring to Thrive.
Picky eating
Picky eating
Fear or anxiety around eating
Fear or anxiety around eating
Pocketing food in the mouth
Pocketing food in the mouth
Long and stressful meals
Long and stressful meals
Eating a restricted range of food
Eating a restricted range of food
Refusing food
Refusing food
Picky eating
Long and stressful meals
Fear or anxiety around eating
Eating a restricted range of food
Pocketing food in the mouth
Refusing food
We help you figure out how to manage these difficulties.
Feeding difficulties during toddlerhood can arise from a combination of child-related and family factors. For some families, small adjustments to mealtime routines and approaches may make a meaningful difference. For others, feeding difficulties may be more complex and benefit from ongoing, individualised therapy.
When feeding difficulties persist, professional support can help families better understand their child’s needs and identify the factors contributing to mealtime challenges.
At Thrive, a through assessment followed by individualised therapy and careful management can support a more positive relationship with food and help mealtimes become less stressful for the whole family.
Feeding difficulties during toddlerhood can arise from a combination of child-related and family factors. For some families, small adjustments to mealtime routines and approaches may make a meaningful difference. For others, feeding difficulties may be more complex and benefit from ongoing, individualised therapy.
When feeding difficulties persist, professional support can help families better understand their child’s needs and identify the factors contributing to mealtime challenges.
At Thrive, a through assessment followed by individualised therapy and careful management can support a more positive relationship with food and help mealtimes become less stressful for the whole family.
Underlying contributors may include:
Complex beginnings (including time in neonatal ICU)
Significant illnesses in infancy
A history of breastfeeding or bottling difficulties in infancy
A history of difficulties with introducing textures or new foods when weaning on to solids (difficulty progressing textures)
Stressful or unhappy mealtimes
Complex beginnings (including time in neonatal ICU)
Significant illnesses in infancy
A history of breastfeeding or bottling difficulties in infancy
A history of difficulties with introducing textures or new foods when weaning on to solids (difficulty progressing textures)
Stressful or unhappy mealtimes
Complex beginnings (including time in neonatal ICU)
Significant illnesses in infancy
A history of breastfeeding or bottling difficulties in infancy
A history of difficulties with introducing textures or new foods when weaning on to solids (difficulty progressing textures)
Stressful or unhappy mealtimes
Speech and language during the early years matter.
The first five years of life are a period of remarkable brain development. During this time, children build important foundations for speech, language, learning, relationships and participation in everyday life.
Early professional support can help identify emerging difficulties, understand each child’s needs and nurture their developing skills. With the right support at the right time, children can build on their strengths and reach their individual potential.
We help each child find their own ways to communicate.
We help each child find their own ways to communicate.
Every child’s communication journey is different. Our approach focuses on helping each child communicate more effectively in ways that build on their strengths, meet their needs and work for them.
Depending on your child’s needs, support may include individualised speech and language therapy, guidance for parents and caregivers, or alternative ways to communicate, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Speech and language grows through meaningful everyday interactions.
While therapy sessions provide opportunities to develop new skills, communication continues to grow through everyday interactions with the people who matter most to a child. With the right guidance, parents and caregivers can recognise these opportunities and support communication in ways that feel natural within family life.
At Thrive, we work alongside parents and caregivers to find practical, responsive ways to support communication through play, mealtimes, shared books and daily routines — helping children build skills they can use in their everyday lives.
Every child’s communication journey is different. Our approach focuses on helping each child communicate more effectively in ways that build on their strengths, meet their needs and work for them.
Depending on your child’s needs, support may include individualised speech and language therapy, guidance for parents and caregivers, or alternative ways to communicate, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Speech and language grows through meaningful everyday interactions.
While therapy sessions provide opportunities to develop new skills, communication continues to grow through everyday interactions with the people who matter most to a child. With the right guidance, parents and caregivers can recognise these opportunities and support communication in ways that feel natural within family life.
At Thrive, we work alongside parents and caregivers to find practical, responsive ways to support communication through play, mealtimes, shared books and daily routines — helping children build skills they can use in their everyday lives.
Every child’s communication journey is different. Our approach focuses on helping each child communicate more effectively in ways that build on their strengths, meet their needs and work for them.
Depending on your child’s needs, support may include individualised speech and language therapy, guidance for parents and caregivers, or alternative ways to communicate, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Speech and language grows through meaningful everyday interactions.
While therapy sessions provide opportunities to develop new skills, communication continues to grow through everyday interactions with the people who matter most to a child. With the right guidance, parents and caregivers can recognise these opportunities and support communication in ways that feel natural within family life.
At Thrive, we work alongside parents and caregivers to find practical, responsive ways to support communication through play, mealtimes, shared books and daily routines — helping children build skills they can use in their everyday lives.
Key communication milestones:
By 1 year (or corrected/adjusted age for preemies): Your child should have their first word. Their pronunciation will be child-like and it might be a sound instead of a fully formed word. However, the utterance should only mean one thing consistently. (If your child says "mama" for you and "mama" also for favourite toys, then this is not counted as a word.) Your child should also enjoy being with people, have good eye contact and show reciprocation to affection.
By 18 months: Your child should have some words for action words, familiar people and common objects like their favourite toy. Your child should also understand some simple instructions as well as enjoy stories and songs.
If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, an assessment can help you better understand their strengths and needs, and identify practical next steps to support this development.
By 1 year (or corrected/adjusted age for preemies): Your child should have their first word. Their pronunciation will be child-like and it might be a sound instead of a fully formed word. However, the utterance should only mean one thing consistently. (If your child says "mama" for you and "mama" also for favourite toys, then this is not counted as a word.) Your child should also enjoy being with people, have good eye contact and show reciprocation to affection.
By 18 months: Your child should have some words for action words, familiar people and common objects like their favourite toy. Your child should also understand some simple instructions as well as enjoy stories and songs.
If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, an assessment can help you better understand their strengths and needs, and identify practical next steps to support this development.
By 1 year (or corrected/adjusted age for preemies): Your child should have their first word. Their pronunciation will be child-like and it might be a sound instead of a fully formed word. However, the utterance should only mean one thing consistently. (If your child says "mama" for you and "mama" also for favourite toys, then this is not counted as a word.) Your child should also enjoy being with people, have good eye contact and show reciprocation to affection.
By 18 months: Your child should have some words for action words, familiar people and common objects like their favourite toy. Your child should also understand some simple instructions as well as enjoy stories and songs.
If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, an assessment can help you better understand their strengths and needs, and identify practical next steps to support this development.
Mealtimes and communication should feel easy —
we're here to help.
Mealtimes and communication should feel easy —
we’re here to help.
Book a Consultation