A short podcast excerpt by Hallie Bulkin emphasizing a critical and growing shortage of pediatric feeding and myofunctional therapists, long clinic wait lists (reported as 6–12 months), and the need to train more clinicians to expand access. Bulkin also explains that her initial course evolved into a broader community to support practitioners and children with feeding challenges.
This is how we change lives. There's a real tangible impact here. And I think that it's critical that we be talking about this because I don't really think people understand that there's still a huge, huge, growing need for pediatric feeding therapists. I was just recording a podcast episode with a guest today who told me that, you know, there is a clinic where they are, but there's only, I think, a couple therapists. They have like a 6 to 12 month waiting list for feeding and like myofunctional therapy. And that's a long time. Kids with feeding challenges should not have to sit on a wait list. I know that's the reality in some places. But if, again, if we can train more people so we can expand that team within that practice or another practice maybe opens up somewhere close by that does similar work, the kids are just going to benefit. The kids are going to benefit, right? And listen, there's enough to go around. So here's the thing. I started this with this goal in mind and I also was like, I'm going to launch this course. But what I ended up launching, I feel like, was a community feed. The peas was just the beginning of it all. It has evolved into so much more.
What I Was Missing in Feeding Therapy: ARFID, Airway, and Myo with Samy Hernandez
