Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program

Providing Services For Children With Feeding Difficulties

Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program

Feeding is a skill that helps us get nutrients and grow. For many children, feeding comes naturally, and meals can be a fun, social part of the day. However, some children have or will be diagnosed with a feeding disorder. This can make feeding very stressful and overwhelming for the entire family.

Our teams work with you to understand your child’s needs and form a treatment plan. This will help your child reach their feeding goals. It will also help you feel confident when working on eating with your child.

There are not many intensive feeding programs that have an integrated team of providers. The Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program is the only intensive feeding program in Ohio. Each year, patients come from across the country and the world to see us!

Our Mission: The Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program strives to partner and work with families to improve meals, development, and quality of life.

Our Services

At the Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program, we treat children with a range of feeding difficulties. These are usually called pediatric feeding disorders. We understand how important it is to be supported by a trusted team of experts when your child has feeding difficulties. To best meet their needs, we gather a team of feeding experts. Our team is made up of medical providers, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, dietitians, social workers, chefs, and child development specialists. They all specialize in working with children with feeding difficulties and complex medical needs. Below are the various services we offer:

Evaluation Clinic

The Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provides a comprehensive assessment of children with feeding difficulties. The Evaluation Clinic provides basic feeding recommendations and coordinates appropriate follow up for your child.

Intensive Feeding Track

The Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program's Intensive Feeding Track is an intensive outpatient treatment option. It is for children with feeding difficulties who have tried traditional outpatient therapies and have not fully achieved their feeding goals.

Co-Treatment Outpatient Program

The Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program's Co-Treatment Outpatient Program is for children with complex feeding difficulties who have tried traditional outpatient feeding therapies and have made limited progress in oral-motor skill development, with a child’s behaviors being a main barrier.

How do we get an appointment?

Patients must have a physician referral.

Contact your Primary Care doctor to have a referral faxed, along with a copy of your child’s growth chart and last office visit notes, to (614) 355-8694.

Once we receive the referral, we will mail you a packet of paperwork. Please complete and mail or email this information to our clinic as soon as possible. You will be notified once your intake paperwork has been reviewed.

After the paperwork is received, we will call to schedule your child’s evaluation.

Intake Forms for Families 

Please mail paperwork back to the clinic or email completed forms to FeedingClinicVM@NationwideChildrens.org.

Our Team

Our team consists of a variety of specialists including Pediatrics, Psychology, Social Work, Nursing, Clinical Nutrition, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy.

Meet Our Leadership

Praveen Goday

Praveen Goday

Praveen Goday, MD, is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He is the Director of the Nutrition and Feeding Programs and a clinical professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University.

Robert Dempster

Robert M. Dempster

Rob Dempster, PhD, is a psychologist in the Pediatric Psychology Program at Nationwide Children's Hospital and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He serves as program director for the Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program.

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