Feeding and Swallowing Clinic
Contact Information
3F Clinic, McMaster University Medical Centre
3rd Floor, Red section
(905) 521-2100 ext 75013 Fax (905 521-2654
What services do we provide?
Outpatient clinical service for children with feeding and/or swallowing difficulties.
The Feeding and Swallowing Team helps children with feeding and swallowing problems such as:
- difficulty sucking from a bottle or drinking from a cup
- difficulty transitioning from bottle to purees to textured foods
- inadequate weight gain or failure to thrive
- gagging, coughing or choking frequently
- history of frequent colds and/or pneumonias
Where is the clinic located?
3F Clinic at McMaster (near the Red elevator third floor).
Referral process
- The referral process is made through a direct referral from a pediatrician or family doctor to a specialist.
- We are in the process of posting a standard referral form to this web site.
- Referrals can be faxed directly to clinic.
How to contact us
The phone number is 905-521-5013 or 905-521-2100, ext. 75013
The fax number is 905-521-2654
Clinic hours
The clinic hours are Thursday afternoons
Urgent referrals
The clinics are not for emergencies. If your child needs to be seen on an urgent basis, please contact your family doctor or go to your local emergency department.
Changing your appointment
Please contact us as soon as possible, if you need to change your child's appointment or cancel the appointment.
Important
If your child has a communicable disease such as Chicken Pox or has been in contact with someone with Chicken Pox, please call the clinic before you come to the hospital
What should you bring to the clinic?
- Health Card for your child - the Ministry of Health requires us to validate your heald card
- Any x-rays or letters from your doctor
- Any notes or questions you may have
- Medications your child takes regularly (names and dosages)
- A typical meal:
- a variety of foods with different textures, foods that your child does well with and those that cause difficulty
- things your child usually uses during mealtimes: bottles, cups, spoons, nipples.
- Any special seating or wheelchair your child uses.
- Please bring 3 days of food records.
What to expect at your first visit
During your first appointment you can expect to:
- meet the nurse, occupational therapist, dietitian and/or gastroenterologist.
- review your child's feeding and swallowing problems
- discuss your concerns and receive suport
- feed your child so that the therapist can watch and learn about your child's difficulties
- discuss the assessment and plan for further evaluation as needed
- make a plan to address your child's specific needs around feeding
If you child has any problems with swallowing, your child may need a swallowing study. This is a videotaped x-ray of your child's feeding and swallowing.
Swallowing studies are done Thursday afternoons in the Diagnostic Imaging (Radiology) Department, second floor/yellow elevators, and will be booked separately.
Interdisciplinary team
Dr. R. Issenman, pediatric gastroenterologist
Dr. E. Ratcliff, pediatric gastroenterologist
Our team also includes: Occupational Therapist, Registered Dietitian and Nurse
Our philosophy
Our philosophy is family-centered care. We strive to provide the best care possible.
Resources
The Family Resource Library is located in the 3F clinic. Volunteer staff are available to help families find information about their child's health or illness. Pamphlets, books, and resources on internet are available.
Quality Control
Every six months we survey families to ask your perceptions of care.
If you have any concerns please contact Randy Calvert, Clinical Manager.
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