“Is SOS Feeding Therapy Right For You?” was written by Yemina Goldberg and edited/reviewed by Maurya Hart, BSc, RD and Jackie Silver MHSc, RD.
Medical Disclaimer: The information in this article is meant for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be personalized medical or nutrition advice. For a plan tailored to your needs, please consult with a Registered Dietitian or qualified healthcare professional.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links with which I may earn a small commission but at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links help bloggers like me to provide you with free content. All opinions expressed here are genuine.
Last updated: August 6, 2026
Introduction: What is SOS Feeding Therapy?
The SOS (Sequential-Oral-Sensory) Approach to Feeding Program was developed by Dr. Kay Toomey, a pediatric psychologist, and is used worldwide to treat feeding issues in infants, children, and teenagers. It is a multidisciplinary, holistic and family-centered program based on Dr. Toomey’s 30 years of clinical experience in treating children who struggle to eat. For more information, visit the SOS Approach to Feeding website.
SOS Feeding Therapy might be helpful for neurodivergent people because they are more likely to have sensory issues. This could make it harder to try new foods. SOS Feeding Therapy uses the typical human development in order to help with sensory difficulties.
How does SOS Feeding Therapy work?
Sequential – Oral – Sensory (SOS) Feeding Therapy is a comprehensive feeding therapy which encourages children to use their five senses to become more comfortable trying new foods. The therapy is based on client goals and takes a gentle, gradual approach. It can be done individually, in a group setting or at home.
Additionally, it encourages children to play with their food in order to get them used to different tastes, textures, smells, and sensations. SOS Feeding Therapy can start with pureed food for infants, as one example, and eventually work up to solid foods, but it varies in every case.
Core Components of SOS Feeding Therapy
Here are the core components of SOS Feeding Therapy.
SOS feeding therapy:
- Starts with each person’s unique needs to help them learn how to eat new foods
- Uses problem-solving techniques to develop eating skills
- Follows typical development as a base for therapy
- Uses a variety of techniques to choose the right food to give the client a nutritious diet
- Uses play-with-a-purpose techniques as an important step in therapy
SOS Feeding Therapy: What are the Steps to Eating?
The Steps to Eating is the natural progression to try new foods. There are 6 categories within the Steps to Eating framework. Under each step you will find a few examples of how to incorporate them.
Step 1: Tolerate
- Describe qualities of the food you or your child are about to try (e.g., “I like tomatoes because they are red” or “I like how broccoli looks like a tree”)
- Being in the same room as the food
- Having the new food on your plate alongside safe foods
Step 2: Interact
- Serve yourself or other people at the table
- Cook a dish incorporating the new food
- Have two foods interact with each other (e.g., dipping bread into hummus)
Step 3: Smell
- Smell the food while blindfolded and describe it
- Have the smell in the room
- Sniff the food for 10 seconds
Step 4: Touch
- Paint with soft foods like yogurt
- Put your finger in the food for 30 seconds
- Quickly touch the food to your lips
Step 5: Taste
- Lick the food off of fingers while playing with it
- Lick the food off of a utensil
- Hold the food in your mouth for 20 seconds and spit it out
Step 6: Eat
- Start with a small piece of food and work your way up
- Eat new foods and describe what you liked
How Does Food Play Fit Into SOS Feeding Therapy?
Food play is used in SOS Feeding Therapy to make it less stressful for the family and for you. It is also used to make therapy more effective, as the therapy is more successful if it is low pressure and fun. Using sensory play can help children and teens become desensitized to the new foods and successfully add new foods to their diet.
Examples of play are:
- Making a picture with food before eating
- Squishing food
- Painting with yogurt
- Cooking new foods
- Using foods to build structures, such as cars or a gingerbread house
- Pretend that your carrots are airplanes flying above the table
What is a Family Meal Time Routine?
Establishing a family mealtime routine is an important aspect of SOS Feeding Therapy. Creating a consistent, predictable routine helps reduce stress surrounding mealtime and creates a low pressure environment where children will feel more open to trying foods. Here are a few tips for creating a family mealtime routine that align with SOS Feeding Therapy:
- Give a heads-up before mealtimes and provide a transition activity: a verbal warning (e.g., “We’re going to have dinner in 10 minutes” helps prepare the child for the meal, and a natural transition activity such as washing their hands or helping set the table can also help them ease into the new activity
- Use a “Learning Plate”: family meals should always provide safe foods paired with new foods that the family is enjoying. The child should be encouraged to put one piece of every food onto a “Learning Plate,” (a plate or bowl next to their main plate at meal time) which allows them to work through the Steps to Eating with a variety of different foods. Foods on the “Learning Plate” do not need to be eaten, but should be cleared away at the end of the meal. Encourage your child to interact with food on the learning plate at a pace that works for them.
- Caregivers as role models: The adults in the family can be positive role models by modeling eating different foods, and talking about how the food tastes, the textures, and the properties of the food.
- Family style serving: all the food should be served family-style (from dishes in the center of the table) so the child is encouraged to serve themselves and build autonomy in their food choices.
- Clean-up routine: If your child is developmentally ready, involve them in simple clean-up tasks, such as putting leftovers into containers or throwing food scraps into the compost. This is a great, low-pressure way for children to interact with food because they know they won’t be expected to eat it once it is being put away.
You can also make clean-up fun by turning it into a game, for example, pretending the leftover food is an airplane flying into the garbage or compost bin.
It takes time to develop a consistent routine, so don’t worry if this seems far from what family mealtimes currently look like for you. It can be helpful to choose one step at a time to focus on, and involve your child(ren) in the changes that your family makes to the mealtime routine.
Who could benefit from SOS Feeding Therapy?
Many people could benefit from SOS Feeding Therapy. Talk to a medical professional or therapist to discuss if SOS Feeding Therapy is the right fit for you.
Here are some examples of people who could benefit from this therapy:
- Children who have feeding difficulties and do not eat a variety of foods
- Children with sensory sensitivities and selective diets (neurodivergent or neurotypical)
- If you stop eating food that you previously liked
- Trouble eating in public places
- If you have trouble eating physically, such as coughing
- If you are diagnosed with, or have characteristics of, Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
What does the research say about SOS Feeding Therapy?
Small studies have shown that SOS Feeding Therapy can be effective in supporting parents’ and children’s goals related to food consumption and reducing stress at mealtimes.
An American study showed that SOS Feeding Therapy decreased stress for parents during mealtimes and increased the variety of food eaten in a group of children 2 – 11 years old. There were 12 participants over 4 years. The research was done by occupational therapy (OT) doctoral students in a private clinic with in-home monitoring. The number of sessions was based on each client.
Another retrospective study in the USA showed that SOS Feeding Therapy increased the variety and the tolerance of different foods in children 2 – 8 years old. There were 34 participants over 3 years in a school setting. The therapy was done by OTs and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), depending on the child.
Is SOS Feeding Therapy Only for Children?
SOS Feeding Therapy was originally designed for children between 6 months and 7 years of age, but it can be adapted for adolescents and adults.
Here are some examples of how SOS feeding therapy can look based on age:
- 6 months – 1 year (Infant)
- Learning about their own mouth’s anatomy
- Transition to drinking from a cup
- Exploring tongue movements
- Starting to consume solid foods, increased interaction with food and food play
- 1 year – 3 years (Toddler)
- Learning to use utensils
- Discovering newer food textures
- Chewing solids
- 4 years +
- Helping to prepare food
- Describe the food they don’t like and why
Our dietitian nutritionist team is trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding and we incorporate its strategies with many of our clients. We have used it with many autistic adults who describe themselves as selective eaters and want to expand their diet, as well as with many clients with ARFID. Don’t be discouraged by thinking this approach is only for children because that is absolutely not true. It can be tailored to be appropriate for any age!
Book a free discovery call to learn more about how we can support you with SOS Feeding Therapy.
What Should I Expect During SOS Feeding Therapy?
SOS Feeding Therapy requires a registered therapist who has done the SOS training. The most common therapists are OTs, SLPs, and Registered Dietitians. Here is the link to the registry: https://sosapproachtofeeding.com/locate-an-sos-feeding-therapist/
Our dietitian nutritionist founder, Jackie Silver, is trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding.
At your first visit, the therapist will perform an assessment to better understand how your conditions affect your ability to perform daily tasks and activities. Next, the therapist will create an individualized treatment plan. They will discuss the treatment plan with you, including activities that will be included in future therapy sessions to reach your treatment goals.
SOS feeding therapy emphasizes having fun with your food,establishing a family mealtime routine, and slowly working through the steps to eating to expand your palette.
If you are interested in personalized help navigating aspects of SOS Feeding Therapy such as the Steps to Eating or establishing a family mealtime routine, our team of experienced dietitian nutritionists at Jackie Silver Nutrition is here to support you with virtual nutrition counseling. Book a free 15-minute discovery call to learn more.*
*Currently serving Canadian residents in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, as well as U.S. residents in select states, including (but not limited to) New York (New York City and New York State), New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California.
Conclusion: SOS Feeding Therapy
In summary, SOS Feeding Therapy uses the five senses to help adjust to eating solid foods. It is particularly helpful for neurodivergent children. SOS Therapy emphasizes playing with food and having fun.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
SOS stands for Sequential-Oral-Sensory. The approach helps individuals become more comfortable with food by gradually working through sensory experiences such as seeing, smelling, touching, tasting, and eventually eating food.
No. While many autistic and neurodivergent children may benefit from SOS Feeding Therapy, it can also help children and adults with sensory sensitivities, feeding difficulties, picky eating, medical feeding challenges, or Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
The length of therapy varies for each person. Progress depends on factors like feeding challenges, sensory needs, and individual goals. Some people may require only a few months of therapy, while others may benefit from longer-term support.
No. SOS Feeding Therapy is designed to reduce stress around food. Participants are encouraged to explore foods at their own pace through play and sensory experiences rather than being pressured to eat.
Research suggests SOS Feeding Therapy can increase food variety, improve acceptance of new foods, and reduce mealtime stress for families. There are limited studies; more research will be helpful for different populations.
TL;DR
The SOS (Sequential-Oral-Sensory) Approach to Feeding is a family-centered approach that helps children, adolescents, and adults become more comfortable with new foods. It uses sensory experiences and play-based activities to gradually increase acceptance of new foods.
The therapy follows the “Steps to Eating,” which progresses from tolerating a food’s presence to eventually eating it. SOS Feeding Therapy may benefit people with sensory sensitivities, feeding difficulties, picky eating, or ARFID. Research suggests it can increase food variety and reduce mealtime stress for families. Therapy is individualized, fun, and often led by dietitian nutritionists, occupational therapists or speech-language pathologists.
Related Blogs
- Can Sensory Food Play Help with Picky Eating?
- What is Responsive Feeding Therapy? How Does it Work?
- What Is Feeding Therapy for Picky Eaters?
- How Can You Reduce Sensory Overwhelm at Meals?
- What Does a Pediatric Dietitian Do? A Parent’s Guide
- Nourishing Neurodiversity: Fiber for Picky Eaters at Any Age
About Yemina
Yemina is a student in the Nutrition and Food Sciences program at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she is also pursuing a minor in disability studies. Born with cerebral palsy, Yemina has a mission to improve the accessibility of nutrition for people with disabilities. In her spare time Yemina enjoys reading, movies, and singing.
About Jackie
Jackie is a Registered Dietitian whose mission is to empower and support the neurodivergent and physically disabled communities through nutrition. Jackie runs a virtual private practice, providing services in Ontario and New York, as well as a blog which has simple recipes and health information tailored to these communities. She loves cooking, exercising, traveling, journaling, and spending time with family and friends.
About Maurya
Maurya is a Registered Dietitian in Ontario who supports neurodivergent children, teens, and adults in meeting their nutrition goals. She brings experience in pediatrics, psychiatry, diabetes, and nephrology, and practices with a compassionate, weight-inclusive, client-centered approach. Alongside her work at Jackie Silver Nutrition, she is completing a Master’s thesis on pediatric nutrition and long-term health outcomes, and is committed to providing personalized, evidence-based care.