Foster and adoptive families often struggle with food and mealtimes. Parents and caregivers may worry about weight and nutrition, and children and teens bring a lot to the table, including experiences of trauma and neglect, food insecurity, sensory differences, and more. Conflict, stress, and anxiety make children do worse with eating.

Katja Rowell, M.D., aka the Feeding Doctor, will help you understand why eating and mealtimes can be so difficult, and share relationship-building strategies to help children do their best with eating.

Caregivers and parents will learn:

• How trying to get kids to eat more, less, or different foods can backfire and what to do instead.
• Why felt safety is heart healthy, and fighting over vegetables doesn’t help.
• How connection and felt safety can guide your approach to feeding your child and support better nutrition and health.
• Strategies to reduce conflict and anxiety around food.
• How meal and snack structure help picky eating and food preoccupation (“hoarding” behaviors).
• How to introduce and serve a variety of foods.
• Accommodations to support children with sensory and brain-based differences.

Credit Hours: 1.0