need info about feeding therapy

[Guest guest]

My 4 yr old son has dev delays (speech, fine motor, feeding & oral

motor delays). He eats only mashed food. He cant chew and just

swallows the food. He doesnt have any problem with liquids. He has

oral motor issues (may be dysarthria), and has type/texture

selectivity. He asks for food when he is hungry and eats without

troubling (semisoft food only). He wants to try new foods, but just

tastes the food and rejects it. He is in county preschool and also

gets private speech therapy. His speech is improving but I dont see

any improvement in his feeding.

I checked about the feeding programs at kennedy krieger and Mt

washington pediatric hospital in MD. They have intensive 6-8 weeks

program or day/outpatient programs. These are not covered in my

insurance and evaluation itself costs around $1700. They refused to

tell me the cost of the individual therapy program because they said

until they evaluate my child and recommend a program, they cant tell

the actual cost.

My question is, does these intesive feeding programs help kids who

have oral motor problems. Or does regular speech therapy with oral

motor exercises help ? Thanks in advance.

-Indu