From Picky Eating to Healthy Habits: How Your Support Fuels Life-Changing Pediatric Care

For most families, mealtimes are a chance to connect, enjoy food, and share moments together. But for some children, eating is anything but easy. That’s where programs like Allied Services’ Pediatric Feeding Therapy step in - programs made possible in part through the generosity of donors and supporters like you.

Why Feeding Can Be a Challenge

Some children struggle with eating due to difficulty biting, chewing, or swallowing. Others may have medical conditions like reflux that make eating painful, or sensitivities to certain textures, scents, and flavors. Sometimes, picky eating isn’t just a phase - it’s a complex challenge that affects a child’s nutrition, growth, and ability to join in family and social meals.

In many cases, children may “food jag” - eating only one specific brand or flavor over and over - because it feels safe and predictable. This can leave families feeling frustrated, worried, and unsure how to help.

When It’s More Than Just Picky Eating

Parents should seek help when their child:

• Eats fewer than 20 foods
• Refuses entire categories of foods
• Has strong negative reactions to new foods
• Rarely eats the same meal as the rest of the family

When this happens, Allied Services’ Pediatric Feeding Therapy can help.

How Allied Services Helps

At the John P. Moses Esq. Pediatric Centers, in partnership with AllOne Foundation & Charities, our therapy teams take a multidisciplinary approach, combining speech and occupational therapy to help children become more comfortable with foods, tolerate a healthy variety, and participate in family meals.

The goal? To help children become independently motivated to eat a healthy variety of foods—and to make mealtimes a positive, stress-free experience for the entire family.

The Bigger Picture

When you support Team Allied Services, you’re helping to fund programs like this - programs that empower children and adults of all ages, from pediatric patients taking their first steps to older adults regaining independence after illness or injury. Your generosity also helps provide specialized care for veterans, individuals living with chronic illnesses, and those recovering from life-altering injuries.

You’re not just supporting a runner - you’re helping to restore abilities, rebuild confidence, and change lives.