Supporting Confident, Safe and Enjoyable Eating
Family-centred feeding support designed to reduce stress and build skills.
Fussy & Picky Eating
Gentle strategies to expand food variety, reduce mealtime stress, and build confidence.
Support Growth & Development
Help children meet growth needs and energy requirements during important developmental stages.
Sensory & Medical Conditions
Tailored nutrition care that supports safe, comfortable, and balanced eating.
Making Mealtimes Feel Easier
Mealtimes can become stressful when eating feels limited, unpredictable, or emotional. Our approach focuses on reducing pressure and supporting calm, positive routines around food. We work with children and families to understand what is driving feeding difficulties and introduce changes that feel manageable.
Support is practical and respectful, helping children feel safer around food while supporting nutrition needs. Over time, this approach can improve food variety, reduce anxiety at meals, and support a more relaxed family environment. The goal is not perfection, but progress that makes everyday mealtimes feel easier, more predictable, and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Family-Centered Feeding Approach
Support that works with the whole family, building calm routines and positive feeding experiences that fit everyday life.
Help Build The Right Skills
Support children to develop feeding skills, confidence, and positive food experiences through gentle, age appropriate strategies.
Areas we provide support
Our feeding therapy dietitians provide practical, compassionate support for children and families experiencing feeding challenges at different stages of development. We work with infants and toddlers as they learn to eat and transition to solids, helping build safe, confident early feeding experiences. Support is also available for children with fussy or selective eating patterns, where limited food variety or strong preferences affect nutrition and family routines.
We work closely with children who have developmental delays or disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder or sensory processing difficulties, tailoring strategies to sensory needs, communication styles, and individual abilities. Families experiencing mealtime stress, food refusal, or anxiety around eating are supported with clear guidance that focuses on reducing pressure and building calm, predictable routines. Our approach is family centred, evidence based, and focused on progress that supports growth, nutrition, and more positive mealtimes over time.
Diet Linked to Medical Conditions
Nutrition support tailored to medical needs, supporting safe eating, growth, and overall wellbeing.
Fussy & Selective Eating
Gentle strategies to increase food variety and reduce refusal without adding mealtime pressure.
Sensory-Based Challenges
Targeted support for sensory sensitivities affecting food textures, tastes, and mealtime comfort.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Practical guidance to address nutrient gaps that affect growth, energy, and development.
Transition Stages
Support through feeding transitions such as starting solids or progressing textures.
Stress Around Eating
Family centred strategies to reduce anxiety and create calmer, more positive mealtimes.
our areas of expertise
Our dietitians provide specialised feeding and nutrition care for children, combining clinical expertise with compassionate, family centred support to improve food acceptance, nutrition, and overall wellbeing.
Responsive
Feeding
Building trust and autonomy around food, encouraging children to tune into hunger and fullness cues.
Food
Chaining
Gradually introducing new foods by connecting them to familiar, accepted foods in a low-stress way.
Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS)
Addressing sensory, oral motor, behavioural, and nutritional aspects of feeding challenges.
Play-Based Approaches
Using methods such as DIR Floortime and AEIOU to support children’s development and reduce food-related anxiety.
How we work with you
We work alongside families to deliver personalised, evidence based feeding support with practical strategies, clear guidance, and ongoing care tailored to each child’s needs.
Comprehensive Assessment
Personalised Nutrition Plan
Ongoing Support
Feeding Support That Meets Your Child Where They Are
Give your child feeding support that respects their pace, preferences, and needs. Book a consultation or contact our dietitians to receive gentle, evidence based guidance.
Meet our Feeding Therapy Dietitians
Our Accredited Practising Dietitians bring experience, compassion, and care to support children and families with practical nutrition guidance tailored to real life needs.
Lena Tat
Lena supports children with feeding therapy using approaches such as Responsive Feeding, Food Chaining, and SOS. She has experience working with ASD, and those with eating disorders such as ARFID, helping families build positive and relaxed mealtime routines.
Ivan Chan
Ivan provides feeding therapy using Responsive Feeding, Food Chaining, AEIOU strategies, and SOS approaches. He has training from the Royal Children’s Hospital and works with children with ASD, sensory challenges, and eating disorders including ARFID.
Brooke Norman
Brooke is trained in Feeding Therapy and Responsive Feeding, with further training from the Royal Children’s Hospital Paediatric course. She works with children with ASD, fussy eating, and ARFID, helping them develop confidence and enjoyment with food.
Fabiola Cottrell
Fabiola is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with training from The Royal Children’s Hospital and experience at Monash Children’s Hospital. She supports children with fussy eating, poor growth, IBD, ARFID, and feeding difficulties linked to disability or neurodivergence.
Browse our best-Selling Meal Plans
Make good nutrition simple with dietitian designed meal plans for real life, from simple recipes to family focused meal plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about our services, appointments, and nutrition support. If you need more information or personalised guidance, our team is always happy to help.
What can I expect during my child’s feeding therapy session?
Feeding therapy sessions are family-centred, play-based, and tailored to your child. Your dietitian will explore eating patterns, growth, and nutrition, then create a personalised plan with practical strategies you can use at home.
- A session may include:
- Food play or sensory steps (using SOS or food chaining approaches)
- Coaching for parents on responsive feeding
- Nutrition checks for key nutrients like iron or calcium
- Gentle, fun exposure to new foods
- Goal setting and progress tracking
- Sessions can take place at home or via telehealth, depending on what suits your family best.
Can feeding therapy help with constipation, reflux, or other gut issues?
Yes. Feeding difficulties and gut issues often go hand-in-hand. A limited diet can affect fibre intake, digestion, and bowel regularity. Our dietitians address these concerns by supporting gut comfort alongside food choice expansion, helping improve nutrition, digestion, and overall wellbeing.
Do I need a referral for feeding therapy?
No, you don’t need a referral to see one of our dietitians for feeding therapy — families are welcome to book directly.
However, if you have a NDIS plan, a GP referral, or a Team Care Arrangement, your sessions may be eligible for rebates or funding.
Referrals are often helpful if your child is also seeing a paediatrician, speech pathologist, or occupational therapist, as we can coordinate care more effectively with your team.
If you’re unsure what you need, our admin team can guide you through the process or help with referral forms via appetitefornutrition.com.au/referral-form.
How long does feeding therapy take to see progress?
Every child progresses at their own pace, but many families notice early changes within a few weeks. These may include reduced mealtime stress, increased curiosity about food, or willingness to touch or taste new foods.
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Feeding therapy is a gradual process that focuses on building trust and confidence with eating rather than quick fixes. Consistent practice at home between sessions plays an important role in supporting progress and helping changes become lasting over time.
Can feeding therapy be done via telehealth?
- Our dietitians use video sessions to:
- Guide you through strategies in your own mealtime environment
- Demonstrate food play and feeding exercises
- Coach parents on structure and responsive feeding
- Review progress and adjust plans in real time
- Families often find telehealth sessions just as effective as in-person visits and are more flexible around school, work, and routines.
- We also offer home visits in Melbourne, Shepparton, Albury Wodonga, and the Gold Coast for families wanting in-person support.