Feeding Issues That Can Occur With Children

There are many feeding issues that can occur with children. Some issues can be developmental while others can be physical. The struggle can range from individuals having difficulties eating solid foods, swallowing liquids or anything in between. These conditions can have a serious impact on feeding a child which can impact their ability to receive proper nutrition. Feeding issues can be addressed and treated early; however, many conditions require additional screening and evaluations.

What are oral motor feeding issues?

Oral motor issues can occur when children are not able to chew, suck or swallow solid food or liquids independently. Issues usually fall into three primary areas:

1. Oral or verbal apraxia "“ the inability to get the mouth to do what the brain tells it to do. This happens due to motor planning difficulties.
2. Dysarthria "“ the inability to eat safely or speak clearly due to muscle weakness or sluggishness
3. Delay in the development of the musculature for eating

Try these simple tricks to help reduce the risk of choking. Making these small changes can allow the child to safely consume their food.

• Chopped"“Chop food into bite-sized pieces using a food chopper, knife, or food processor.
• Ground"“Food should be soft or small enough to swallow with little or no chewing. Ground food using a food processor or blender.
• Pureed"“Food must have a smooth texture but should not be runny. Food can be pureed in a food processor or blender. Sometimes adding a small amount of liquid can help make it smooth.
• Thickened"“Thickened beverages may be required for children with difficulty swallowing. Thicker liquids travel more slowly down the throat and that makes them easier to control. This can be done using commercial thickeners or pre-thickened products similar to our SafeStraws or our Rije Dysphagia Drinking Cup .

Positioning & Feeding Issues

Children may need seating systems to provide the proper positioning and head support while eating. Adaptive seating systems help encourage sitting skills while the child is participating in their daily feedings. Because children with special needs undergo underdeveloped muscle tone (hypotonia), delayed oral motor skills and swallowing difficulties can occur. They may also lack the ability to grasp and hold onto utensils in order to feed themselves. eSpecial Needs has a wide variety of adaptive utensils, drinking aids and plates for children who have difficulty with self feeding. Families, therapists and schools help teach the child how to use the ADLs for continued independent eating.

Behavioral Issues with Eating Can Occur

Don't worry, it's very common for behavioral issues such as simple distractions to refusal to eat at the dinner table. Try minimizing distractions so that the child can just focus on eating with nothing else capturing their attention. You can also try feeding smaller portions of food that are easy to eat and limit the number of options.