Episodes

Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Episode 16: Nibbles and Bits
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Picture this: You’re starting a tube wean and you’re at the grocery store...what do you buy? On this week’s episode of the Tube to Table Podcast, Heidi and Jennifer are discussing a topic that is on every parent’s mind when starting to wean their child from the feeding tube. Making food choices while weaning can be very overwhelming for families. Parents are always asking for that “magic food” and although we wish we had that, it doesn’t exist. There is no one food that will help your child eat, but there are factors to consider when choosing certain foods. Helping parents with food choices during a wean can help eliminate some of the focus on the volume of food. It can feel complicated feeding a child who eats very little or who has never eaten before. We’re here to help! There are a few important factors to consider when shopping for food choices. These include ability for independence, consistency with food, texture/taste, and familiarity within the family. Heidi and Jennifer will also talk through some factors that should NOT be considered. You’ll hear a few of their favorite tips and tricks when they are helping families choose foods during a wean.
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Thursday Oct 10, 2019
Episode 15: Tools of the Trade
Thursday Oct 10, 2019
Thursday Oct 10, 2019
We’re back for Season 2! Thank you so much for listening to Season 1 of the Tube To Table Podcast, we are so excited for you to hear our upcoming season! Your hosts, Jennifer and Heidi, are back and ready for a great season! This week, Jennifer and Heidi are discussing the tools and tricks of the trade. What does that mean exactly? They are answering all your common questions including, “What cup should I use?”, “When should I introduce spoons?”, and “Is there a magic food?!” When starting treatment or preparing for an intensive tube wean, parents often ask these questions in order to feel prepared for getting started. While these are all great questions, it is hard to pick just one tool or utensil, so this week your hosts will discuss the spoons, cups, forks, and other utensils that might be helpful for your little one! There are three specific factors to consider when choosing these tools: familiarity, novelty, and control. Since the tool you choose will depend on your child specifically, this week’s podcast will discuss guidelines for where to look and how to choose.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! Please feel free to message us for our shownotes as well and we can email them to you!

Monday Jul 29, 2019
Episode 14: Getting Unstuck
Monday Jul 29, 2019
Monday Jul 29, 2019
In this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi are discussing the common traps in tube weaning and how people can easily get stuck on their journey from feeding tube to family table. As discussed in previous episodes, Jennifer and Heidi will use the pyramid infographic as a reference for building the foundations to become an oral eater. When time is spent in the foundational aspect of the tube weaning process, the final stages feel easier and have a better flow. This episode will work through each foundational step of the pyramid and at each stage, discuss what the common breakdowns are and where parents feel stuck. One of the most common breakdown happens when families try to do things out of order and skip over the foundational pieces. Often families may feel like they are ready or want to rush the process and what people don’t realize is that by “skipping” steps you are adding pressure and not allowing your child the time to build trust and understanding with food. Jennifer and Heidi walk through the 6 phases of the tube weaning process: First, Do No Harm, Rest and Play, Creating Responsive Mealtimes, Discover Internal Drives to Eat, Supporting Skill Development, and Thrive.
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Episode 13: Structure Without Stress
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
In this week’s episode, Jennifer is joined by Brianna Brown, a speech therapist and member of the Thrive Tube Weaning Team. Brianna works in the Spectrum Pediatrics clinic in Alexandria, VA, working in Early Intervention, as well as working with families in our tube weaning program. Brianna and Jennifer will dive into the topic of structure around mealtimes, and how you can use structure without added stress. They will discuss how to help kids that need more structure or support through the tube weaning process in a way that doesn’t interfere with responsive feeding. The internal drives for eating have been discussed in previous episodes, but what should you do when a child has a hard time being able to tune in to these abstract feelings? Structure can look different for every child, but it is important to continue to use a child-directed, responsive feeding approach when building in these strategies to your child’s mealtimes. Jennifer and Brianna will discuss all the different options for building in structure, including visual schedules, first/then boards, choices, and social stories. This episode will review all of these strategies in more detail and discuss how to implement these strategies in a way that will allow your child to feel safe and build a positive relationship with food.
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Monday Jul 15, 2019
Episode 12: Tricks and Treats
Monday Jul 15, 2019
Monday Jul 15, 2019
On this week’s episode of Tube to Table, Jennifer and Heidi discuss how tricks and treats are used to encourage children to eat or make progress in therapy and why this is detrimental to their relationship with food. This can happen at a family mealtime as well as during structured feeding therapy. Throughout this episode, Jennifer and Heidi will talk through both situations and the length people and therapists will go to “get” their child to eat with tricks or how they use treats to encourage eating. “What does this therapy look like?” “How do I know if I’m “tricking” my child?” This episode will guide you through what behavioral therapy looks like, why it can erode your child’s relationship with food, and what you can do instead. There are basic fundamental reasons why behavioral strategies should not be used to help a child eat, especially those who are tube-fed. Heidi and Jennifer review how tube-fed kids are most susceptible to this therapy, and how they both came to the realization that every child should engage in responsive feeding, tube-fed or not.
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Monday Jun 24, 2019
Episode 11: The Tortoise and the Hare
Monday Jun 24, 2019
Monday Jun 24, 2019
How fast should tube weaning really be? Is there a right speed? At Thrive, we hear from parents starting their journey, in the middle of weaning, or during follow up wondering about how fast to push their kid or how slow to go. Tube weaning often gets broken down into two simplified categories: Rapid weaning and the “wait and see” method. At Thrive, we are typically put into the rapid weaning category, but in this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi discuss how our therapists make clinical decisions while weaning.There is not one “fast” or “slow” lane, as it is extremely important to respond to the child and every child is different throughout their weaning journey. This episode reviews why it is crucial to acknowledge that children develop at different rates, learn skills at different times, and for some children weaning can happen fast, while others need to slow down. Jennifer and Heidi will review why sometimes a child may need to slow down or take a break while weaning, and while other times it is important to move faster. At Thrive, our philosophy is unique and we respond to each child individually by learning their cues and encouraging parents to do the same.
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Episode 10: Safety First
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
This week’s episode is all about the safety parameters put in place during your child’s tube weaning journey and how we work together with your child’s medical team to establish boundaries to make sure your child is safe. In preparation for an intensive tube wean, the Thrive team collaborates with your child’s existing medical team to make sure there is a discussion tailored to each child’s needs to ensure safety during this time. As discussed in previous episodes, it is crucial to educate your child’s medical team with information on how children learn to eat, but then it is also necessary to get their feedback about what parameters a child needs in order to stay safe during a wean. Heidi and Jennifer talk more about what this dialogue looks like with your child’s medical team, and what categories we specifically focus on when establishing medical readiness and building safety parameters for your child. This dialogue starts as early as the evaluation and continues throughout intensive treatment and into follow-up. Jennifer and Heidi will also discuss more specific parameters, why it is important to have a physician on board, and how to help identify the parameters with your child’s medical team.
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Episode 9: Learning to Swim
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Teaching a child how to eat when they aren’t experiencing hunger is like teaching that child to swim in a pool without water. What does this mean? In this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi are breaking down this analogy that we use in tube weaning to explain the importance behind the need for a context when learning to eat. We often hear that a child is not eating yet, and therefore not ready to learn how to eat because they don’t know how. This is a confusing topic for families to work through as they are thinking about starting their tube weaning journey. Imagine learning to swim, if you are standing on the dock and flapping your hands, you are not really swimming. If a child is sitting in a highchair with an empty spoon, they are not really learning to eat. As we have discussed in past episodes, hunger is NOT the magic bullet, but it is WHERE the learning needs to take place. Like the water in the pool, children must have the internal drive and reason in order to learn a new skill. Heidi and Jennifer will discuss two common misconceptions we hear about learning to eat, the difference between learning and relearning a skill, and why the context where you are learning a skill is crucial for development.
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Monday May 27, 2019
Episode 8: Every Moment Matters
Monday May 27, 2019
Monday May 27, 2019
Is there a moment in time that stands out for you during your tube weaning journey? This week’s Tube to Table episode focuses on the moments that matter! Whether you are working on building the foundations for eating, just starting your tube weaning journey, or already have an eater, there are moments that MEAN something! This episode focuses on all the moments that stand out for both therapists and families during their tube weaning journey. This week’s guest, Jamie Hinchey, is a feeding therapist and a full-time member of the Thrive Tube Weaning Program. Jamie and Heidi will discuss their own experiences early in their career that led them to the Thrive Tube Weaning Program. They will also talk through the lessons they’ve learned while working with families during this time, as well as some of the most exciting moments they have experienced during the weaning process. This week’s episode also features reflections from parents who have gone through the tube weaning journey with Thrive. We will talk through their responses to questions about their most difficult times, lessons they have learned, and the moment when they knew their child was an eater!
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Monday May 20, 2019
Episode 7: Better Together
Monday May 20, 2019
Monday May 20, 2019
What should a family mealtime look like? How can I create happy and healthy mealtimes for my child? This week’s episode of Tube to Table discusses the principals behind building a positive and happy mealtime environment for your child. These mealtime foundations are relevant for children with a feeding tube, children with a feeding aversion, or families who are looking to improve their family mealtimes. Responsive mealtimes are mealtimes that encourage togetherness between family members, facilitate self-regulation, and are known to set the stage for a life-long healthy relationship with food. The family table is an important place to pay attention to and make improvements because it has been shown that what happens at the table sets the stage for eating habits later in life. Jennifer and Heidi break down the 6 most important foundations to think about when creating a responsive mealtime environment for your family. They will also discuss various strategies to help you during mealtimes, as well as helpful resources to help families of children with all ages!
Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!