Compassionate Feeding and Swallowing Therapy in Chicago

We know how overwhelming it can feel when your child struggles with eating or mealtimes become a source of anxiety. You’re not alone. At Eyas Landing, we specialize in feeding and swallowing therapy that meets your family exactly where you are—emotionally and developmentally. With our evidence-based, flexible approach—including Sequential Oral Sensory Food Chaining and Relationship-Based Feeding methods—we help transform stressful meals into opportunities for growth, connection, and joy. Our team partners with you every step of the way, supporting your child to achieve safe, confident eating.

Building Confidence, One Bite at a Time

Every child’s feeding journey is unique. That’s why our therapy plans are individualized, blending the best of proven clinical approaches and family-centered care. We take a holistic look at your child’s needs, using therapeutic models designed to reduce anxiety, build trust, and make mealtimes positive.

Our therapy approaches include:

Sequential Oral Food Chaining: We use a step-by-step process to gradually expand your child’s food variety. By starting with foods your child already enjoys and making small changes in texture, taste, or appearance, we help children overcome picky eating and gently accept new foods at their own pace.
Relationship-Based Feeding: Recognizing that safe eating is built on trust, our therapists work closely with your family to create positive interactions with food. We focus on attuned, child-led experiences—encouraging your child’s natural curiosity and fostering mealtime confidence in a supportive setting.
Oral Motor Skill Development: Through tailored activities, we strengthen key muscles needed for biting, chewing, and swallowing, making eating safer and more efficient for children with oral-motor difficulties.
Support for Sensory Sensitivities: Our team identifies your child’s unique responses to food textures, temperatures, and flavors and uses gentle, graded exposure to help them feel more comfortable and willing to try new foods.
Parent Coaching and Empowerment: We believe the most lasting progress happens when families are actively involved. You’ll receive practical, ongoing strategies for trying new foods, building routines, and handling challenges with confidence at home.

Benefits of Our Feeding Therapy

Reduced Mealtime Stress: We work with you to uncover the causes of anxiety and develop positive, structured routines that make eating less overwhelming for your child and your family.
Expanded Food Acceptance: By combining Sequential Oral Food Chaining with relationship-based techniques, we regularly see children move from eating only a handful of foods to trying many new textures and flavors over time.
Improved Nutrition and Growth: Your child will gain access to a wider range of nourishing foods, supporting healthier weight gain and development.
Family-Centered Support: Our therapists collaborate across disciplines—including speech-language pathology and occupational therapy—to address every aspect of the feeding challenge, always considering your family’s unique goals and daily routines.

Specialists You Can Trust

Your child’s comfort and safety are our top priorities. Our feeding therapy team includes licensed Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) with specialized expertise in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. We incorporate best-practice models—like Sequential Oral Food Chaining and relationship-based interventions—ensuring every therapy plan reflects current research and respect for your family’s values.

Working together, our team addresses the sensory, motor, behavioral, and emotional factors that can make eating difficult for children. Through ongoing collaboration, we create a supportive circle of care tailored to your goals and your child’s strengths.

Take the First Step Toward Happier Mealtimes

You don’t have to face feeding challenges on your own. Ready to see your child enjoy eating, try new foods, and join family meals with confidence? Reach out to Eyas Landing today for a free consultation. Together, we’ll develop a personalized plan using relationship-based, proven approaches that support your child’s lasting progress.

Feeding and swallowing therapy is often provided alongside our pediatric speech therapy services. Click below to learn more.

What Families Are Saying: Real Progress for Chicago Families

“Feeding therapy at Eyas Landing was really helped us. The therapists introduced foods step-by-step, starting with what our daughter liked, and she began trying new things without fear. Meals are no longer a struggle.” Gold Coast, Mom

“I appreciated how involved we were as parents. The relationship-based approach made our son feel safe, and now he asks to help cook and tries bites from our plates. It’s wonderful to see him so confident.” West Loop, Mom

“Our daughter had trouble swallowing, and the team showed us exercises and strategies that worked like magic. The therapists understood her sensory needs and celebrated every tiny success with us.” Bucktown Mom

Our Speech Therapy Team:

Together, the Speech Therapy team seamlessly collaborates with each child’s entire therapeutic team to address best practices and individualized treatment plans. This collaboration between our highly-educated, compassionate staff maximize therapeutic outcomes and help support our clients to reach their fullest potential. At Eyas Landing, we value evidence-based practice, client-centeredness, community, diversity, collaboration, and flexibility.py Team:

Learn More About a Career with Eyas Landing

Why Choose Eyas Landing?

We don’t just treat “speech issues.” We treat the whole child, and we support the whole family.

We Meet You Where You Are: Therapy happens where your child learns best—in your home, at their school, in the community, via telehealth, or at our clinic in Chicago’s West Loop.

Family-Centered Care: You are the expert on your child. We coach you on strategies to use at home so progress doesn’t stop when the session ends.

Collaborative Approach: Our speech therapists work alongside occupational therapists, behavior analysts, and physical therapists to ensure every aspect of your child’s development is supported.

Play-Based Learning: We know kids learn best when they are having fun. Our sessions look like play, but they are structured to achieve serious milestones.

Diagnosis and Conditions Our Speech Therapists Treat:

Autism Spectrum Disorder
Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD
Sensory Processing Disorder

Developmental Delay
Speech and Language Delay
Articulation Delay

Down Syndrome
Cerebral Palsy
Neurological or Brain Injury

Premature Babies
Sports Injury
Torticollis

Toe Walking
Stuttering
Generalized Anxiety

School and Test Anxiety
Adoption

Client-Focused Speech Therapy Approach:

Neuro-Affirming Care
Intentional Relationship Model

Play-Based Therapy
DIR/Floortime

Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding
Food Chaining
PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets)

Sensory Integration
Therapeutic Listening
Auditory Integration

Social Skills Programs
Emotional Regulation Programs
Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)

Schedule an Evaluation

Next Steps to Starting Speech Therapy

Evaluation And Outcome Measures

Initial Evaluations are completed with standardized measures, clinical observation and parent report components. Re-evaluations are completed every six months to determine progress. Eyas Landing therapists proactively collaborate with families and other professionals to increase positive outcomes

Plan Of Care

Eyas Landing treatment plans are individualized to meet each child’s unique strengths, interests and goals. Goals are reviewed weekly and daily treatment notes are emailed directly to parents. Eyas Landing therapists are skilled in utilizing the client’s interests and motivations to increase participation in challenging therapeutic activities.

Billing Options

Eyas Landing offers a variety of billing and payment options to support your child’s treatment. There is a dedicated and knowledgeable on-site staff that are here to answer any of your questions. Eyas Landing is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois PPO, Blue Choice PPO, and Aetna PPO plans. Eyas Landing also accepts most out-of-network PPO plans, including United Healthcare and Cigna. Claims are submitted directly to your insurance company and staff can assist in disputing any denied claims.

Frequently Asked Questions About Speech Therapy for Kids:

Do I need a doctor’s referral?

While you don’t always need a referral to contact us, many insurance plans require one for coverage. We can help guide you through this process.

Where does therapy take place?

Flexibility is our foundation. We offer sessions in our West Loop clinic, in your home, at your child’s school or daycare, or via telehealth. We work with you to decide the best environment for your child’s goals.

How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?

If your child is not meeting milestones (like babbling, using first words, or combining words), is difficult for others to understand, or gets frustrated when trying to communicate, an evaluation is a great first step.

Trust your instincts—you know your child best.