Why the Order You Work on Things Is Important
Christine Miroddi Yoder:
Hi, happy to have you here. Today we’re diving into a really important topic: the order in which you work on things in feeding therapy.
If you’ve tried strategies before—maybe something you saw on social media or even advice from a professional—and you didn’t see much success, it might be because you were doing things out of order. That’s what we’re going to unpack today.
If you’re new to my work, you can visit foodologyfeeding.com, or if you’d like to learn more about our Unlocking Mealtimes program, head to unlockingmealtimes.com. That’s where we help super problem feeders make real progress with a clear roadmap, in-depth analysis, and one-to-one monthly coaching calls that keep you on track, implementing, and seeing results.
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Why Order Matters
This topic came up recently in a parent coaching session. A dad asked: “If oral motor is the issue, why are we starting with sensory work and food play? Shouldn’t we work on oral motor first?”
It’s a fair question—but here’s the thing. His son didn’t want anything in his mouth. Not even a toothbrush. So how could we practice oral motor?
The first priority wasn’t building those skills. It was addressing his fear and resistance, his mindset. Until he was comfortable putting something—even a toothbrush—into his mouth, oral motor wasn’t the right starting point.
That’s the key: you can’t skip ahead. Sometimes sensory sensitivities or gut discomfort have to be addressed before mindset can shift. In another case, I told parents, “Before you even come see me, we need a gut test.” Because if food always makes a child feel sick, no amount of desensitization or mindset work will help them fall in love with eating.
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Every Child’s Roadmap Looks Different
That’s why assessments matter. Some professionals take a quick look and say oral motor skills look fine, even if the child only eats soft foods. But if soft foods are all they’ll accept, you can bet there’s weakness there.
The real question is: what’s the biggest barrier right now? For some children, it’s gut health. For others, it’s sensory overload. For many, it’s mindset—fear, distrust, or negative associations with food.
And if you jump too far ahead—asking a child to touch, lick, or smell food when they aren’t ready—you’re setting them up for shutdown, not success.
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Think Skiing, Not Shortcuts
Imagine going skiing for the first time and your instructor takes you straight to the steepest double black diamond. You’d probably never want to ski again.
But if they start you on the bunny hill, where you can succeed and build confidence, you’re going to have fun. You’ll progress faster.
It’s the same with feeding. Starting “further back” doesn’t mean going backwards. It means you’re finally on the right hill for your child, and that’s what propels you forward.
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Trust, Progress, and Next Steps
I’ve spoken to parents who’ve been in feeding therapy for years with no progress—because therapy was starting too high. Maybe they were pushing touch, smell, or bites without ever addressing gut health, mindset, or trust. Sneaking food into a child’s mouth, for example, only breaks trust.
Instead, we have to earn that trust, build the foundation, and move step by step. That’s why the order is so important.
And here’s the truth: there isn’t one universal order. Every child has their own roadmap. That’s exactly what we give you inside Unlocking Mealtimes. I’ll tell you which lesson to focus on next, so you don’t get overwhelmed by everything at once. You learn and apply the right step at the right time—so you actually see progress.
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Final Thoughts
Skipping steps or starting too high will only delay progress and create frustration. But when you start in the right place—even if it feels “too simple”—you’ll move forward faster, with less stress, more confidence, and more joy.
If you want more resources, you can:
* Visit foodologyfeeding.com
* Check out unlockingmealtimes.com
* Follow along on Instagram and YouTube for more tips
Thanks for tuning in—I’ll see you again next week!
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✨ Episode aired February 10, 2025
