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Feeding & Nutrition

Excellent nutrition is one of the most basic requirements for a child to grow and thrive. Research shows that as many as 90% of children with a developmental disorder have at least one nutrition risk indicator.

To get started, call our intake coordinator at 630.282.2026 to ask questions or for scheduling.

Overview

The goal of Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley's Nutrition Therapy & Feeding/Nutrition Clinic is to provide optimal nutritional therapy to children with developmental disabilities through an interdisciplinary approach, addressing their nutrition risks and disorders and helping them to lead healthier lives.

Our Programs

Why Begin Here?

Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley's Nutrition Therapy provides care that is difficult to find elsewhere in a community or medical setting. We know it can be hard for parents to figure out if they have a “picky eater” versus a child with more significant issues. Our program features dynamic, committed, licensed and experienced professionals who can assess each child’s needs and determine whether nutritional services are necessary. Services are available at our centers or through tele-therapy.

Our pediatric nutritionists are registered dietitians, who work closely with a knowledgeable and certified interdisciplinary team to assist caregivers with providing the best nutrition possible for their children. Because each child's needs are different, we create an individualized treatment plan based on parent concerns and integrate the most current treatment approaches for children who may exhibit a variety of conditions, such as:

  • Chronic diseases or syndromes
  • Disorders of oral motor structure or development
  • Growth disorders, failure to thrive, growth concerns
  • Tube feedings and transition to or from oral feeding
  • Food allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances.
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Sensory related feeding problems
  • Autism related feeding concerns
  • Obesity

How To Get Started

Contact our Intake Coordinator Alyssa Hargrave at 630.282.2026 to ask questions or schedule an appointment.

For more details and information on criteria for the program and our team of experts, read our blog for more information. 

For parents of children with sensory difficulties, our Fun with Food program provides sensory-based feeding approaches in a socially supportive environment. Parents seeking assistance with a feeding evaluation or toddler feeding therapy can also explore our Feeding Clinic.

Children with bowel and bladder issues can benefit from the Pediatric Bowel & Bladder Clinic at Easterseals which takes a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to assessing bowel & bladder issues in children. 

For children on the Autism spectrum, experts agree that early childhood intervention leads to positive outcomes. New guidelines released by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasize the importance of early screenings and diagnostic evaluations. Difficulties with feeding or nutrition can sometimes be an indicator of evolving needs and a more comprehensive evaluation may be useful in identifying next steps. All of the diagnostic screenings recommended by the AAP are provided by our Medical Diagnostic Clinic and Autism Diagnostic Clinic.

Conditions Aided by Nutrition Therapy at Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley

Some parents may already have a diagnosis for a specific condition and may be wondering if the Nutrition Clinic is right for their child. Children with conditions that may benefit from a Nutritional Therapy assessment include, but are not limited to:

Children with ADHD

Children with Autism

Children with Down Syndrome

Children with Sensory Processing Disorder


To learn more about treatment and therapy options, please visit the link for each condition.

  • boy is reading a book with a therapist looking on

    DIR Floortime Intensive

    For children with autism spectrum disorders, often an intensive burst of therapy is found to be effective in developing foundational skills. We now offer an intensive therapy plan that includes DIR (Developmental Individualized Relationship) based treatments or floortime techniques.
  • Child smiling in an outdoor background.

    Feeding Clinic

    The Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley Feeding Clinic offers a unique environment, which brings several disciplines together at one location so that our interdisciplinary team can comprehensively evaluate each child.
  • Toddler smiling at a camera in a blue sweater

    Feeding Intensives

    This program offers individual support and intensity to facilitate faster progress toward feeding goals in a supportive environment.
  • Child smiling holding a lemon.

    Fun with Food

    In this program, Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists use innovative sensory-based feeding approaches.
  • child with bungees in exercise unit

    Intensive Therapy

    We offer customized intensive therapy sessions across our services that are multi-disciplined and highly individualized for each child.
  • Two children sitting together smiling.

    Pediatric Bowel & Bladder Clinic

    The Pediatric Bowel & Bladder Clinic at Easterseals takes a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to assessing bowel & bladder issues in children.

Other Areas of Support

Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley offers these services at our centers in Villa Park, Naperville, and Elgin. To get started or learn more, call us at 630.282.2022.