Growing Tots at the SPA Conference: Connecting Through Lived Experience

We were honoured to exhibit at the Speech Pathology Australia Conference, where we had the opportunity to connect with speech pathologists, clinicians and healthcare professionals from across Australia who are dedicated to improving the lives of children and families.

For Growing Tots, this conference was about much more than showcasing a product. It was an opportunity to share the story behind our brand and the lived experience that inspired it.

Growing Tots was founded after our founder, Jessica Barathy, experienced the daily challenges of caring for her tube-fed daughter. Like many families, she found that everyday clothing wasn't designed to accommodate feeding tubes, often requiring unnecessary clothing changes during feeds and medical care. From this experience, Growing Tots was created to provide practical, adaptive clothing that supports comfort, dignity and inclusion for tube-fed children.

Throughout the conference, we had the privilege of meeting passionate speech pathologists who understand the important role they play in supporting children with complex feeding needs. It was encouraging to hear conversations centred around family-centred care, innovation and finding practical solutions that make everyday life easier for both children and their caregivers.

One of the highlights of the conference was demonstrating how our adaptive bodysuits provide discreet access to gastrostomy and feeding tubes, helping simplify feeding routines while allowing children to remain comfortably dressed. The positive feedback from clinicians reinforced the importance of designing products that are informed by real family experiences.

We also had the opportunity to discuss how Growing Tots can become a valuable resource for healthcare professionals supporting families navigating tube feeding. By working together with speech pathologists, dietitians, occupational therapists, nurses and paediatric healthcare teams, we hope to make adaptive clothing more accessible to the families who need it most.

To everyone who visited our stand, asked questions, shared your experiences and expressed interest in our mission—thank you. Your encouragement and support continue to inspire us.

At Growing Tots, we believe that every child deserves products designed with their unique needs in mind. We're excited to continue building partnerships with healthcare professionals across Australia as we work towards a future where tube-fed children can experience greater comfort, dignity and inclusion every day.

We look forward to continuing the conversations started at the conference and supporting the incredible clinicians who make such a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families.