Begin to Bloom
with Kelly Andrasik McLeod OTD, IBCLC
Information for Healthcare Professionals & Referring Providers
1. Our Services
Begin to Bloom provides specialized feeding therapy and lactation support for infants, toddlers, and young children. Our services include comprehensive occupational therapy feeding evaluations, individualized treatment plans, and hands-on interventions to support oral motor skills, sensory-based feeding challenges, and growth and nutrition goals. Additionally, we offer lactation consultation to optimize breastfeeding support and coordination with feeding therapy.
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2. Who We Serve
We serve infants, children, and families experiencing feeding difficulties, including challenges with breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, transition to solids, or oral motor delays. Our practice welcomes patients from Redwood City, Palo Alto, and surrounding areas, providing families with accessible, family-centered care designed to complement existing pediatric and medical support.
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Diagnoses we specialize in treating include: Generalized oral motor incoordination, oropharyngeal dysphagia, suspected or confirmed aspiration, feeding tube dependence, cardiorespiratory comorbidities, neurologic conditions, prematurity-related feeding delays, cleft lip/palate, poor weight gain related to oral motor difficulties, high risk infants transitioning from the NICU to home, infants struggling with pacing, flow tolerance, or physiologic instability during feeds
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3. Why Refer to Begin to Bloom
Referring to Begin to Bloom ensures that your patients receive expert, evidence-based care in a private-pay model that allows for flexible scheduling and intensive support. Our team’s expertise—backed by years of clinical experience—helps families overcome feeding challenges quickly and effectively. We collaborate closely with referring providers to support continuity of care, providing detailed reports and actionable recommendations.
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4. Collaboration & Communication
We prioritize open communication with referring providers. Every patient receives a thorough evaluation, and detailed reports and progress updates are shared to ensure alignment with the child’s overall health plan. We welcome consultations and co-management discussions to ensure feeding goals are integrated seamlessly with medical or developmental care.
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5. Outcomes & Value
Patients benefit from personalized therapy plans that target measurable outcomes, such as improved feeding skills, growth, and family confidence. Referring to Begin to Bloom allows providers to extend their care beyond the clinic, helping families access specialized support that may not be available elsewhere. Our commitment to high-quality, compassionate care ensures families feel supported, and children achieve meaningful progress.