Our son, Ryan, was born prematurely and suffered an unspecified gastrointestinal (GI) issue, which included refusal to eat, chronic vomiting, and acid reflux symptoms. After nearly 18 months of traveling throughout New England for medical care, trying every hypo-allergenic and medical formula, aggressive medications, and gastric-tube surgeries, our pediatric physician mentioned an intensive feeding program in Richmond, VA. We applied and were quickly connected to Carol, our lead feeding therapist.

She was the answer to our prayers, the hope my emotionally exhausted and despairing family needed. In all our time seeing medical professionals, she was the ONLY practitioner to say, “I know what this is. I see it all the time, and I can help”, which brought tears of relief.

During the eight-week program, Carol collaborated with the team to ensure Ryan’s medical, nutritional and behavioral issues were addressed. She carefully guided Ryan through oral-motor exercises and implemented unique feeding techniques following the TR-eat Model. Throughout the process, she educated our family on effective, long-term feeding practices. Ryan was soon independent of his gastric-tube and enjoying the flavors and textures of whole foods. In the months after graduation from the feeding program, Carol remained available to us for consultations, which was also a blessing, because our local feeding therapy failed to progress Ryan’s skills.

Today, Ryan is an energetic, happy eater, thanks to Carol’s exceptional skill, knowledge, and compassion. She is not only Ryan’s therapist; she is our family friend.