Feeding Issues

Feeding/swallowing disorders

What are some causes of feeding disorders?

• Nervous system disorders
• Gastrointestinal conditions, premature/low birth weight
• Heart disease
• Cleft lip
• Conditions affecting the airway
• Poor oral motor control
• Sensory integration issues within the child's mouth
• Behavior issues

What are signs and symptoms of feeding/eating difficulty?

• Aversion to meal time
• Failure to accept different textures
• Prolonged feeding times
• Rigid with types of food the child eats (only eats a few preferred items and will not tolerate different brands of that food).

Some signs may include..

• Excessive drooling while eating
• Gurgly or hoarse vocal quality after eating
• Frequent upper respiratory infections
• Less than normal weight gain
• Difficulty coordinating breathing, eating and drinking

How can a speech pathologist help?

An experienced SLP at our facility can perform a feeding and swallowing evaluation and provide treatment if appropriate. Many medical professionals or other health care related professionals may work together to assist with treating your child.

Behaviorally, we will work on desensitizing your child to adverse reactions towards various foods and work on your child's ability to tolerate various textures.

Please feel free to contact us if you have further questions.

Jodi Schechtman MA-CCC-SLP