Protea Therapy

04/05/2026

This is a big one for us! PFD (Paediatric Feeding Disorder) and ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) Awareness Month aims to draw attention to these under-recognised and poorly understood conditions that make up almost all of what we do at Protea Therapy. PFD and ARFID can be really stressful for kids and families, and can have wide-ranging impacts on health and participation. does an amazing job of advocating and educating about PFD and ARFID, and we highly recommend their resources, like this webpage defining PFD for families: https://www.feedingmatters.org/is-it-pfd/. Spoiler alert from the seminal 2019 consensus statement by Goday et al.: PFD is “impaired oral intake that is not age-appropriate and is associated with medical, nutritional, feeding skill, and/or psychosocial dysfunction”

PFD is our core business and we love supporting kids, families, and professionals to learn more about PFD and how to manage it. If you need help, we have our new intake form here: https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients and our professional supervision form here: https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/supervision-bookings or you can call us on (03) 7034 6944.

30/04/2026

We're one day early, but tomorrow is Undiagnosed Children's Day. We see lots of kids with rare syndromes at Protea Therapy, but we also see lots of kids with medical and developmental conditions for which they don't have any explanation. Some of these families may eventually get a diagnosis, and some will not. This is a tough journey, because it makes it so hard for families to connect with others with similar experiences, to understand their child's present and future, and to access appropriate supports. We love the work of in supporting these families (and note that they're fighting to stay open right now, in case you are in search of a good cause to donate to).

If you need support with feeding for a child with a rare or undiagnosed condition, we can help. Call us on (03) 7034 6944 or fill out a new client form at https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients

23/04/2026

You can't make anything if you don't make a mess! Letting babies and kids get messy when they eat is an important step in their learning. It doesn't have to be every time, and you can use whatever strategies help the clean up (splash mat under the chair, full body smock, feed them outdoors, buy a dog...) but messy eating helps kids learn to be more independent and adventurous eaters. Invest in the mess! It won't be forever.

If you need help navigating mealtimes that feel like a different kind of mess, we can help. Get in touch at (03) 7034 6944 or https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients

16/04/2026

18/03/2026

Lots of the caregivers we see interpret spitting as a baby or child not liking a food (and sometimes it is). But we love to see spitting! Because a child who can spit has a safe and effective way to get rid of something that doesn't feel right for them. When kids know they can keep themselves safe, they're more likely to try new things.

If you need some support spotting or managing a feeding issue for your child, that's what we're here for! Get in touch at https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients or (03) 7034 6944 or [email protected]

15/03/2026

A lot of people don't realise that some children can struggle to swallow efficiently, effectively, or safely. This is called 'dysphagia.' Children can experience dysphagia for a range of reasons, and it can make mealtimes really tough.

At Protea Therapy, one of our areas of special interest is supporting kids who have dysphagia. If your child needs support, you can get in touch by filling out our expression of interest form at https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients or by calling us on (03) 7034 6944

12/03/2026

Working with speech pathologists who want to upskill in paediatric feeding, eating and drinking is one of our favourite things to do! We offer both supervision/mentoring and second opinion consults that can be booked via our website.

Book supervision here: https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/supervision-bookings or a single session consultation here: https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/single-session-consultation

05/03/2026

Sensory play (or messy play) is a common tool that therapists use to help kids who are worried or selective eaters. This free kit has been developed by researchers into selective eating at De Montford University and has ideas for getting started with this kind of play at home. https://sensoryplaytoolkit.weebly.com/

If you need additional support and ways to support kids who struggle with eating, as a parent or as a clinician, we can help! Call (03) 7034 6944, email [email protected] or head to our website at http://www.proteatherapy.com.au/

28/02/2026

Is dinner the hardest meal for your family? You are NOT alone! Kids are often tired out by dinner time, *and* it's often the time when we serve the most challenging foods. You might have more luck serving veggies and meats at other mealtimes; and at dinner, try offering at least one or two foods that you know your child enjoys, even if they're not conventional 'dinner' foods.

For more individualised problem-solving, get in touch at (03) 7034 6944 or https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients

11/02/2026

For kids who are worried about food or mealtimes, there are so many opportunities to learn about food! Growing, buying, cooking, prepping, and serving food are all amazing ways to build confidence and competence... and curiosity. So, if you have a child who won't even look at broccoli, take a step back and see if they'll help you bag it up at the supermarket, or chop it up (with a child safe knife like a ), or serve it to you.

If your child's eating and drinking problems are too big for you to handle on your own, that's what we're here for! Get in touch by filling out our intake form at http://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients or email us at [email protected] or call on (03) 7034 6944