Understanding the Core Goals of SOS Feeding
The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach is a comprehensive program designed to assess and address the underlying reasons why a child is struggling to eat. Instead of forcing a child to consume food, the program works to help the child become more comfortable and confident with food through playful interaction and gradual desensitization. The goals of SOS feeding are multi-faceted, focusing on long-term skill acquisition and a positive relationship with eating, not just increasing calorie intake in the short term.
Goal 1: Expand a Child's Food Repertoire
A primary objective of SOS feeding is to help a child expand the variety of foods they are able and willing to eat. Many children referred to SOS therapy have a limited food range, often consuming fewer than 20 foods, and may refuse entire food groups or specific textures. The SOS approach systematically and playfully introduces new foods, allowing the child to move up the 'Steps to Eating' at their own pace. This non-pressure method increases a child’s comfort with different properties of food, including texture, taste, smell, and appearance. Therapists use "Play with a Purpose" to guide children through stages of interaction, from simply tolerating food nearby to eventually chewing and swallowing it.
Goal 2: Reduce Anxiety and Stress at Mealtimes
For many families with children who have feeding difficulties, mealtime can be a source of intense anxiety and conflict. One of the key goals of SOS is to transform mealtimes from a battleground into an enjoyable, positive, and low-stress experience for both the child and caregivers.
SOS feeding achieves this by:
- Creating a predictable routine: Establishing a consistent meal and snack schedule helps a child feel secure.
- Minimizing pressure: The program emphasizes a child-led approach where there is no pressure to eat. The child is allowed to move at their own pace, which reduces anxiety.
- Educating caregivers: Parents are taught how to manage their own stress and respond to their child’s cues, empowering them with effective strategies.
- Shifting focus: The emphasis shifts from food consumption volume to food interaction and exploration, which is less intimidating for the child.
Goal 3: Foster a Healthy, Lifelong Relationship with Food
Beyond simply eating more foods, the SOS approach aims to help children develop a positive and functional relationship with food that lasts a lifetime. This involves teaching children that eating can be fun and that new foods can be explored safely. It provides children with the skills to problem-solve and adapt to new foods, rather than simply accepting them. This long-term mindset helps prevent future feeding issues and promotes a healthy body image and perception of food.
Goal 4: Address Underlying Physical and Sensory Challenges
SOS feeding recognizes that feeding difficulties are often not purely behavioral but are linked to underlying physical, sensory, or motor challenges. The program takes a whole-child perspective, integrating assessment and treatment across seven key areas of human function involved in eating. The goals include:
- Improving oral motor skills: Strengthening the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and jaw for more efficient chewing and swallowing.
- Addressing sensory sensitivities: Desensitizing a child's heightened or diminished responses to the sensory properties of food (texture, temperature, taste, smell).
- Considering nutritional needs: Ensuring the child is consuming sufficient calories to maintain appropriate growth.
SOS Feeding vs. Traditional Behavioral Approaches
| Feature | SOS Approach to Feeding | Traditional Behavioral Approaches |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | Addresses the 'whole child' and underlying reasons for refusal. Treats feeding as a developmental skill to be learned. | Often views feeding problems as purely behavioral issues to be 'fixed' through compliance training. |
| Methodology | Employs a gradual, systematic desensitization through play-based interaction. No pressure to eat. | Can involve forced exposure, reinforcement for eating, or punishment for refusal, which can increase anxiety. |
| Pace | Child-led and parent-involved, moving at the child's readiness. | Adult-controlled, often with strict demands on the amount or type of food to be consumed. |
| Focus | Prioritizes building skills and a positive relationship with food over immediate volume intake. | Focuses heavily on the amount of food consumed as the primary measure of success. |
| Parental Role | Teaches parents skills and strategies for long-term generalization and support. | Parents may feel like enforcers, which can damage the parent-child relationship around food. |
Implementing SOS Feeding at Home
Successful SOS feeding extends beyond therapy sessions and relies heavily on consistent application at home. Parents are key partners in the process, reinforced with education and practical strategies. By focusing on structure and routine, families can support their child's progress outside of the clinic. A few practical strategies include:
- Avoid using pressure: Never force a child to eat, whether explicitly or implicitly. Allow them to explore food at their own pace.
- Use family-style meals: Place food in the center of the table and let children serve themselves. This gives them a sense of control and autonomy.
- Model positive eating: Children learn by observation. Show enjoyment for the foods you are eating and describe them in a descriptive way.
- Respect the child's pace: Allow the child to move up and down the 'Steps to Eating' as they feel comfortable. It is a non-linear process.
- Focus on 'play with a purpose': Continue to create fun, low-pressure food exploration activities that engage the child's senses.
Conclusion
The goals of SOS feeding are centered on creating positive, lifelong changes in a child's relationship with food and eating. By taking a holistic, child-led, and play-based approach, SOS therapy effectively addresses the complex underlying factors that cause feeding difficulties, such as sensory issues, oral-motor challenges, and anxiety. The program empowers not only the child but also the entire family, transforming stressful mealtimes into nurturing and enjoyable experiences. While progress may be gradual, the long-term benefits of a healthy and confident eater are immeasurable. You can find more information about the approach and locate a trained therapist on the official SOS Approach to Feeding website(https://sosapproachtofeeding.com/).
