Little Eaters & Talkers

Little Eaters & Talkers At Little Eaters & Talkers, our team of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) help children thrive at every stage of feeding.

We support families in the Houston area and virtually,

A 9-month-old who could only nurse — now drinking independently at school.This is one of our latest Google reviews and i...
04/21/2026

A 9-month-old who could only nurse — now drinking independently at school.

This is one of our latest Google reviews and it's the kind of thing that reminds me exactly why this work matters. 💛
Mackenzie's daughter couldn't drink from a straw or a bottle. Mom was driving to school at lunch just to feed her. Within a couple of months, that all changed.

This is what pediatric feeding therapy looks like when it works — not just giving you generic advice, but helping you find the right tools and strategies for your specific child.
If you're in the Houston or Bellaire area and your baby or toddler is struggling with bottle refusal, straw drinking, or feeding transitions, we'd love to help.

📍 Serving families in Houston, Bellaire, and the surrounding area

🔗 Link in bio to book a consultation

"He'll grow out of it."If a pediatrician has ever said this to you about your child's eating — I want you to push back.T...
04/21/2026

"He'll grow out of it."

If a pediatrician has ever said this to you about your child's eating — I want you to push back.

The wait-and-see approach does NOT work for children with autism. Early intervention changes outcomes. The earlier your child gets the right support, the better.

Here are 5 questions you can bring to your next appointment:
→ "My child eats fewer than 20 foods. Is that typical for their age?"
→ "Should we be screened for sensory processing differences?"
→ "Can you refer us to a feeding therapist or occupational therapist?"
→ "What developmental milestones should I be watching for around eating?"
→ "I'm concerned about autism — what's the next step for evaluation?"

You know your child. A doctor sees them for 15 minutes. You live with them every day. Trust what you're seeing.

And if something in your gut says it's more than just picky eating — you're probably right.

Comment or DM AUTISM for my free mini course, including exactly who should be on your child's support team. 💛



Feeding therapy + autism support for families in Houston, Bellaire, Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, and Memorial areas of TX | Jean Hawney, MS CCC-SLP | thelittleeaters.com

04/21/2026

Work smarter, not harder—even at meal time! 👏

Watching this guy crush his pouch is the highlight of my day. For our community, “fast” doesn’t mean “rushed”—it means efficient. We’re saving that precious energy for all the big things he has planned today!

Tell me in the comments: What is your “go-to” fast fuel for your little one? 🍏🍌

We get this question all the time: "Does my child need OT or feeding therapy?"Honest answer: often both — and at Little ...
04/20/2026

We get this question all the time: "Does my child need OT or feeding therapy?"
Honest answer: often both — and at Little Eaters & Talkers in Houston, TX, they work hand in hand.

Occupational therapy addresses how a child's sensory system processes the world — touch, body position, regulation. Feeding therapy targets oral motor skills, texture progression, and the mechanics of eating. For kids in Houston, Texas with sensory-based feeding challenges, these two aren't separate. One feeds the other (pun intended).

Our team brings both disciplines under one roof so your child gets a truly integrated plan — not a patchwork of referrals.

💬 DM us or visit thelittleeaters.com to learn about our evaluation process.

📍 Little Eaters & Talkers | Bellaire, TX | Feeding & Speech Specialists | Houston, TX

"Just try one bite" doesn't work — and here's why.There are actually 7 steps between a child tolerating food on the tabl...
04/19/2026

"Just try one bite" doesn't work — and here's why.

There are actually 7 steps between a child tolerating food on the table and chewing and swallowing it. If you're skipping straight to "take a bite," you're bypassing the entire process their nervous system needs to go through.

At Little Eaters & Talkers in Houston, TX, our feeding therapy and occupational therapy team in Houston, Texas uses the exposure hierarchy with every picky or sensory eater we see. Each step is a real win. Each step matters.

The next time your child touches food and doesn't eat it? That's Step 3. Celebrate it.
Save this carousel and share it with anyone who's ever told a picky eater to "just try it."
💬 DM us "PICKY" for a free resource, or book a consult at thelittleeaters.com

📍 Little Eaters & Talkers | Bellaire, TX | Serving Houston, Texas & surrounding areas

Your child eats 5 foods. Maybe fewer.And you've tried everything — hiding vegetables, introducing new things, making it ...
04/18/2026

Your child eats 5 foods. Maybe fewer.

And you've tried everything — hiding vegetables, introducing new things, making it fun. Nothing sticks.

Here's what I want you to understand: when a child with autism eats the same 5 foods, it's not because they're difficult. It's because those foods feel predictable and safe.
Same brand. Same color. Same texture every single time. That consistency is how their nervous system calms down enough to eat at all.

Introducing new foods isn't something we can push or pressure. There are actually 6 stages a child goes through before they're ready to eat something new — and most parents skip straight to stage 6 without realizing it.

Stage 1 isn't eating. It's just being in the same room as the food without a meltdown.
That's real progress. That counts.

I break all of this down in my free Autism & Feeding mini course — including exactly what those 6 stages look like and how to support your child through them.

Comment or DM AUTISM and I'll send you the link. 💛

"Your child is not being defiant. Their brain and body work differently."That's something I say to almost every autism p...
04/17/2026

"Your child is not being defiant. Their brain and body work differently."

That's something I say to almost every autism parent I work with. Because the mealtime battles feel so personal — like your child is choosing to make things hard.
They're not.

When an autistic child refuses a food, throws a plate, or melts down at the table — that's not attitude. That's a nervous system that's completely maxed out before the fork even hits the plate.

The sensory input, the unpredictability of a new food, the smells, the textures — it's all happening at once. And their body is just trying to protect them.
Knowing this doesn't fix everything overnight. But it changes how you show up at mealtime. And that matters more than you know.

Want to understand what's actually happening — and what to do next?
Comment or DM AUTISM for my free mini course. 💛

Before your child takes a single bite — check their feet.Sounds strange, but seating posture is one of the most overlook...
04/16/2026

Before your child takes a single bite — check their feet.

Sounds strange, but seating posture is one of the most overlooked factors in pediatric feeding. What our therapists in Houston, TX, see every week: kids in Houston, Texas who are labeled "picky eaters" who actually just need proper postural support to feel safe and organized enough to eat.

The 90-90-90 rule: hips, knees, and ankles all at 90°. Feet flat on a surface. This activates the trunk muscles, stabilizes the jaw, and signals to the nervous system that the body is safe and ready to eat.

A simple footstool can be a game-changer. Save this post and try it tonight.

💬 Questions about your child's mealtime setup? Drop them in the comments or DM us!

📍 Little Eaters & Talkers | Bellaire, TX | Pediatric Feeding Specialists | Houston, TX

"He'll grow out of it.""She's just picky.""Give it time."If you've heard this from your pediatrician about your child's ...
04/16/2026

"He'll grow out of it."
"She's just picky."
"Give it time."

If you've heard this from your pediatrician about your child's eating — I want you to know something:

The wait-and-see approach does NOT work for children with autism.
Early intervention is everything. The earlier your child gets support, the better the outcomes. That's not a scare tactic — that's what the research says, and what I see every single day in my practice.

You have every right to push back. To ask for a referral. To seek a second opinion.
Some questions you can bring to your next appointment:
→ "My child only eats a handful of foods — is that typical?"
→ "Should we be screened for sensory processing differences?"
→ "Can you refer us to a feeding therapist or occupational therapist?"

You know your child. Trust that gut instinct. 💛

If you're not sure where to start, I made a free mini course for exactly this moment. 10 minutes. Real answers. No overwhelm.

Comment or DM AUTISM and I'll send it to you.

Before we talk about what's on the plate, we need to talk about what's happening inside your child's nervous system.At L...
04/15/2026

Before we talk about what's on the plate, we need to talk about what's happening inside your child's nervous system.

At Little Eaters & Talkers in Houston, TX, our occupational therapist works with kids in Houston, Texas who look like picky eaters — but are really dysregulated eaters. There's a huge difference.

The "Just Right Zone" is real. When a child is too wound up OR too shut down, they literally cannot process new foods. Our OT helps children find — and stay in — the calm, regulated state where learning to eat becomes possible.

Swipe through to see the signs and strategies. Save this for your next rough mealtime.
💬 DM us "OT" if your child's mealtime looks more like a meltdown than a meal.
📍 Little Eaters & Talkers | Bellaire, TX | Pediatric Feeding & Speech Therapy | Serving Houston, TX

Address

6300 West Loop South, Suite 290
Bellaire, TX
77401

Opening Hours

Tuesday 8am - 3:30pm
Wednesday 11am - 3:30pm
Thursday 8am - 3:30pm

Telephone

+18323043506

Website

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/feeding-your-baby-without-fear-tickets-1234981134819?

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