Pediatric Speech, Feeding, & Myofunctional Therapy for Children in Rockaway Park, NY
Treating the Whole Child
Our Approach
At Little Waves, we don’t believe in quick fixes or “band-aid” solutions. Instead, we focus on uncovering the true cause of your child’s challenges and helping them build a strong foundation for growth early in life.
Using evidence-based methods and playful activities, we’ll meet your child right where they are and help them gain new skills at their own pace. Parent coaching is also a big part of everything we do. We will provide you with practical strategies and exercises that you can easily fit into your child’s everyday routines, like brushing teeth or riding in the car!
Getting to the Root of the Issue
Evaluations
Our evaluations are designed to uncover the underlying causes of your child’s breathing, feeding, or speech challenges. We’ll start by asking you about daily routines, including eating and feeding, sleep schedules, and communication skills. Then, we’ll take a deep dive into medical/developmental history before engaging in observations and assessments in all areas of concern.
Once the evaluation is complete, we’ll work together to create goals for therapy and provide you with a report of our findings, recommendations, and referrals to other professionals if needed.
Pediatric Feeding Therapy for Toddlers & Children
Pediatric Dysphagia ~ Picky Eating ~ ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
Mealtimes should feel safe, stress-free, and enjoyable for your child and family. At Little Waves, our feeding therapy sessions will combine proven techniques with playful, low-pressure activities to help your child:
Bite, chew, swallow, and drink safely
Comfortably explore new foods and textures
Develop a positive, stress-free relationship with eating
Independently feed themselves at mealtimes using their hands and utensils
Parents are an essential part of feeding therapy. We’ll equip you with ways to confidently support your child’s feeding development during daily life at home!
Breastfeeding, Bottle Feeding, & Lactation Support for Babies
Painful Latch ~ Bottle Refusal ~ Poor Weight Gain ~ Oral Motor Dysfunction~ Symptoms of Colic, Reflux, & Tension
Babies feed about 8-12 times per day, and we want those moments to feel like memorable, special bonding time for you and your little one. Our infant feeding therapy sessions will focus on the goals that matter most to you, including:
Latching and positioning assistance
Optimizing milk supply and milk transfer
Going back to work, pumping, and storage
Supplementation and weaning
We also host free weekly lactation support groups for families, both virtually and in-person! Contact us for more information about our support groups, led by a lactation counselor.
Myofunctional Therapy for Children
Mouth Breathing ~ Snoring ~ Tongue Thrust ~ Drooling ~ Eating Challenges ~ Unclear Speech ~ Sleep Disordered Breathing ~ Orthodontic Issues
Myofunctional therapy will help create a strong foundation for your child’s health by teaching them to properly move their lips, tongue, jaw, and cheek muscles. Together, we will help your child:
Establish nasal breathing
Correct oral rest posture
Eliminate improper swallow patterns
Improve chewing and oral function
Prevent orthodontic relapse
At Little Waves, we offer a 30-day Oral Habit Elimination Program for children 4 years and up who need help eliminating thumb sucking, pacifier use, nail biting, or other oral habits. Contact us to learn more!
Pre- & Post- Frenectomy Care
Tongue Ties ~ Lip Ties ~ Cheek Ties
A tongue tie, lip tie, or cheek tie occurs when the frenum (string) under the tongue, under the upper lip, or between the cheeks is too tight, short, or thick. If a release is needed, we’ll assess and support your child before and after the procedure in order to:
Prepare the oral muscles for the release
Promote proper wound healing after the release
Strengthen and retrain the tongue to move effectively and efficiently
Experience lasting improvements in breathing, eating, sleeping, and speaking
Wondering if your child has oral ties that may be causing problems? Contact us to request an assessment. We can provide you with some recent research studies on the impact of infant tongue ties!
Early Intervention & Speech Therapy for Kids
Late Talkers ~ Speech Sound Delays ~ Language Disorders ~ Social Skills ~ Early Literacy Skills
If your child isn’t meeting their communication milestones, there’s no need to “wait and see!” Working together, we’ll build essential communication skills to help your child:
Gain pre-verbal skills like pointing and gestures
Use words to express their wants, needs, and ideas
Understand what others say and follow directions
Make friends and socialize with others
Little Waves provides early intervention (EI) services for children ages 0-3, as well as CPSE state-funded speech and language therapy services for children ages 3-5. We are also a NYC DOE Independent Provider. Learn more about that here!
Craniosacral Therapy for Infants, Children, & Adults
Migraines ~ Headaches ~ Fatigue ~ Neck & Back Pain ~ Chronic Health Conditions ~ ADD/ADHD
At Little Waves, we use a light-touch technique to help the body relax and work the way it’s meant to. For babies, children, and even adults, it can support whole-body health, ease discomfort, and promote natural healing. Craniosacral therapy will help you or your child:
Naturally reduce stress and tension throughout the body
Alleviate head, neck, and back pain
Strengthen the body’s resistance to disease
Improve the form and function of the central nervous system, allowing it to perform at its best
Craniosacral therapy is used to treat the symptoms of many conditions that may impact your well-being, including developmental disorders, immune disorders, central nervous system disorders, and even learning differences.
