Dr Amy Talbot recently joined Jaclyn Pederson and Dr Hayley Estrem on the Feeding Matters podcast to talk about her upcoming session at the Feeding and Eating Psychology Summit. The conversation gave listeners a sense of how feeding challenges can be understood with more clarity and compassion, and how treatment approaches are evolving to support children and families in practical ways.
Why Feeding Difficulties Need an Individual Approach
The Summit focuses on evidence based support for PFD and ARFID at different stages of a child’s development. This includes understanding how feeding skills, emotional development and cognitive maturity shape the way we plan care. While other presenters explored responsive feeding therapy and current research, Amy spoke about the role of formulation driven treatment planning.
Most feeding difficulties have more than one influence. A child may have differences in sensory processing, communication, emotional regulation or oral motor skills. Some children may have neurodivergent traits or a history of feeding challenges that affects how safe they feel around food. When we understand these layers, it becomes clearer why feeding is difficult and what kind of support may be helpful.
Formulation driven planning brings these pieces together. It helps clinicians look beyond a single model and form a clearer picture of what is going on for the child and the family.
Approaches That Support Meaningful Progress
The hosts spoke about how feeding therapy continues to grow and shift, including the increasing use of responsive feeding therapy. This approach focuses on building a sense of safety, supporting the child’s autonomy and creating positive experiences around food. Amy’s perspective added to this by showing how a formulation helps clinicians decide when and how to use different approaches at the right time for each child.
As children develop, their feeding skills and cognitive abilities change too. The Summit highlights how important it is for treatment plans to adapt alongside these changes. A formulation helps clinicians see what factors matter at each stage and how those factors influence feeding behaviours.
Why Team Based Care Matters in Feeding Support
Many families benefit from support across different disciplines. Speech pathologists, psychologists, dietitians and other allied health clinicians each bring insights that help build a fuller understanding of the child’s needs. When clinicians share information and work together, families receive clearer guidance and feel less overwhelmed.
This is a key part of how The Talbot Centre works. Our team collaborates closely so that families feel supported by a coordinated plan that can grow and change as their child’s needs evolve.
How This Helps Families Navigate Feeding Difficulties
Feeding challenges can be worrying for families, especially when progress feels slow or the reasons behind the difficulties are not obvious. A formulation offers a clearer and more grounded explanation of what is happening and why. The podcast conversation introduced these ideas in a simple and relatable way, showing how they can support a more thoughtful and individualised approach to care.
If you or your child are experiencing feeding challenges and would like support, you are welcome to contact The Talbot Centre. We can talk with you about what you are noticing and help you consider the types of care that may be suitable for your situation. Call us on 02 8814 5703 to book an appointment.
