Children with eating problems have a restricted diet and reject food because of textures, taste or temperatures. Many of these children are fed only with liquids or purees and the moment of feeding is a traumatic one. Children with eating difficulties may have problems maintaining their weight and in speech development.

Indicators of a possible feeding problem or dysphagia:

• picky eater, has a limited diet, just eats certain foods
• arches, coughs or vomits easily when eating
• rejects solid foods, accepts only soft foods
• trouble maintaining the expected weight for
his age
• fails to chew meat or hard food
• requires that food be cut into very small pieces
• becomes irritable at mealtime
• very slow to eat, it may take more than 30 minutes
• he drools when he eats
• frequently spits out food bites
• can’t eat alone, independently
• cannot clean food residues from his lips with his tongue
• can keep food waste in cheeks for hours and can’t stick them out with his tongue
• he prefers to feed with a children’s bottle (bottle) than with solid foods
• possible problems articulating speech sounds

If your child presents one of these indicators, you should seek an evaluation in our clinic as soon as possible, it is the most important initial step.

  • Oral motor therapy
  • Oral placement therapy
  • Myofunctional Therapy
  • SOS Feeding therapy Approach to increase the variety of food intake

• increases the variety of food intake by taste, texture, temperature, visual qualities (color) and olfactory (smell)
• development of good chewing skills
• development of bilabial closure and saliva control
• increase in the amount of food intake and, consequently, weight
• normalization of the oral sensation and therefore, decrease in episodes of cough, nausea or vomiting when eating
• elimination of immature habits, such as drinking liquids in a children’s bottle
• less time consuming meals
• better speech development