Paediatric Feeding Therapy is a specialist service at Springbank Clinic provided by Dr Melissa Bujtor, Registered Nutritionist (RNutr). She works with children and young people across the full spectrum of feeding difficulties, from selective eating and food refusal through to more complex presentations including disordered eating, ARFID, Paediatric Feeding Disorder, and sensory-based feeding difficulties.
Visit the Lifespan Nutrition website for more information about feeding therapy and to learn how Dr Bujtor can support your child.
About Dr Bujtor
Dr Melissa Bujtor is a Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) with postgraduate qualifications (Masters) in Human Nutrition and Psychology. Her clinical interests span early years nutrition, women’s health, family feeding and eating dynamics, nutrition across key life stages (including adolescence, adulthood, and midlife), as well as the intersection between nutrition, mental health, and behaviour. She has particular expertise in supporting individuals and families to navigate complex or conflicting advice and to develop a more confident, sustainable relationship with food.
How Feeding Therapy Works
Feeding therapy is not about forcing a child to eat. It begins with understanding why eating feels difficult for that child, whether the underlying factors are sensory, motor, medical, or emotional.
The approach is always tailored to the individual child, drawing on sensory, behavioural, and developmental modalities. The focus is on building felt safety with food, so that the child can begin to explore and expand their eating at their own pace. Parents and carers are supported throughout the process.
Who This May Help
Feeding therapy may be helpful for children experiencing any of the following:
- eating fewer than 20 foods, with an accepted range that is narrowing
- gagging, retching, or becoming distressed around unfamiliar foods
- refusing entire food groups
- sensory processing differences affecting eating
- a diagnosis of ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) or Paediatric Feeding Disorder
- a history of reflux, tube feeding, or early medical interventions
- mealtimes that have become consistently stressful or distressing for the family
Feeding difficulties are more common than most people realise, and early specialist support can make a genuine difference.
Feeding Therapy for Children with Autism
Eating can look different for children with autism. Sensory processing differences, a need for sameness, and difficulty reading internal body signals can all make mealtimes more challenging.
Dr Bujtor takes a neuro-affirming approach, working with each child’s neurology rather than against it. The goal is not to make a child eat in a particular way, but to support a relationship with food that works for their nutrition, growth, and wellbeing.
She works with children with autism across the full range of feeding and eating difficulties, including very limited diets, sensory-based food avoidance, and ARFID.
Cost of Treatment
Please contact Dr Bujtor directly for appointment availability and fees.
Email enquiries@lifespan-nutrition.co.uk or call 01732 453956 to discuss your child’s needs.
Ready to take the next step? Dr Bujtor is happy to discuss your child’s eating and whether specialist support could help.