Sobre
Feeding Foundations is a comprehensive, family-centered training program designed to empower caregivers with practical, evidence-based strategies to support children with feeding challenges through the combined lenses of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Occupational Therapy (OT). This course is led by Michelle Vences, BCBA, LBA, COTA/L, alongside Yadira Vences, OTR/L, who collaborate to provide a truly interdisciplinary perspective on mealtime success. Together, they bridge the gap between behavior-based intervention and sensory-motor understanding, helping families address both the why and the how behind feeding difficulties. Caregivers will learn how to: Identify the behavioral and sensory factors that influence eating patterns Use ethical, reinforcement-based strategies to increase food acceptance and mealtime participation Support self-regulation, body awareness, and comfort during meals Structure mealtime routines that promote independence, communication, and positive family interactions Collaborate effectively with therapy and school teams using a shared, interdisciplinary framework This program emphasizes caregiver coaching, real-world application, and ethical practice, ensuring families leave with tools they can confidently use across home and different environment settings. While the course integrates principles from both ABA and OT, it clearly defines professional roles and boundaries and does not replace medical, swallowing, or individualized clinical therapy services but supports referring out! Feeding Foundations is ideal for parents and caregivers of children who experience picky eating, food refusal, sensory sensitivities, or mealtime behavior challenges and who are seeking a supportive, practical, and collaborative approach to building lifelong feeding success.
