Paediatric Feeding Support
Specialist feeding assessment & support for infants, children and teens in Newcastle & the Hunter Region
Feeding difficulties in childhood are rarely “just picky eating.” They can be influenced by sensory processing, oral‑motor skills, swallowing safety, anxiety, developmental differences, medical history and family mealtime routines. At THRIVE, we provide multidisciplinary paediatric feeding assessment and therapy for infants, children and adolescents across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Region.
Our team specialises in complex feeding presentations, including sensory‑based feeding challenges, restrictive eating patterns, feeding needs associated with sensory processing differences or neurodivergence, and oral‑motor delays.
Whether you’re concerned about feeding skills, sensory needs, mealtime stress, swallowing safety or feeding changes following illness or injury — we’re here to help.
What we support
We help children and families experiencing:
Our approach
Feeding therapy at THRIVE is speech‑pathology‑led and supported by Occupational Therapy, Psychology and Behaviour Support when needed. We explore:
Our goal is to create practical, low‑pressure, evidence‑based strategies that help children feel safe, confident and successful at mealtimes.
What to expect
Comprehensive feeding assessment
A detailed assessment exploring feeding history, sensory preferences, oral‑motor skills, swallowing safety, mealtime routines and family goals.
Individualised feeding plan
Clear, practical recommendations tailored to your child’s needs and your family’s routines.
Therapy sessions
Gentle, child‑led feeding therapy using sensory‑motor, oral‑motor and low‑pressure, responsive and restrictive‑eating‑informed approaches.
Parent coaching
Support to reduce stress, build confidence and create positive mealtime experiences.
Multidisciplinary input
OT, Psychology and Behaviour Support involvement when sensory, emotional or behavioural factors are contributing to feeding challenges.
Who we work with
Feeding needs change across the lifespan. We support children at every stage.
Babies
(0-12 months)
Toddlers
(1-3 years)
Children
(4-12 years)
Teens
(13-17 years)
Ready to get started?
We can help you understand what’s driving your child’s feeding challenges and create a plan that feels achievable and supportive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes — but many children with feeding challenges have underlying sensory, oral‑motor or emotional factors that benefit from support.
Yes — our team provides low‑pressure, responsive support for children with severe food restriction and complex feeding presentations.
Yes. Speech Pathology leads feeding therapy, with OT, Psychology and Behaviour Support involved as needed.
No. You can contact us directly to arrange an appointment. Referrals from GPs, paediatricians, or other health professionals are welcome but not required.
You’ll receive clear information about the findings, along with practical strategies and recommendations tailored to your goals and routines. If further support or collaboration with other health professionals is helpful, we will discuss this with you.
We are based in Newcastle, NSW, and support families across the Hunter region and Central Coast, including Lake Macquarie, Maitland, and Port Stephens.
Limited telehealth appointments may be available for consultations, parent coaching and review sessions where clinically appropriate. Most paediatric feeding services are delivered in person.
Yes — we support self‑managed, plan‑managed and NDIA‑managed participants through our parent company’s (EduCare) NDIS registration.