Oral Motor and Feeding Problems
Parents often complain about their child's picky eating habits. And in most cases, being a picky eater is the extent of the problem. However, in many cases, this is a symptom of an underlying oral motor problem.
Consider the following questions:
Does your child overstuff his/her mouth?
Is your child a picky eater?
Does your child seem to particularly like foods that are extra hot, spicy, tart or sour?
Is brushing your child's teeth or washing their face difficult?
Is your child's speech clear?
Was transitioning from breast or bottle to solid foods difficult?
Does your child have difficulty chewing?
Does your child gag or cough easily?
If the answer is "yes" to one or more of these questions, then your child may be experiencing oral motor difficulties that not only affect feeding, but also affect speech production.
Why does this matter?
The normal swallow requires coordination of various cranial nerves and about 26 head and neck muscles. Research has shown that as infants and toddlers transition from the bottle/breast to spoon feeding and cup drinking, their muscles are doing invaluable work. The infant's anatomy, during this critical phase of development, is changing along with his/her ability to use all of these muscles appropriately for feeding and later for speech. If a child has difficulty during this developmental phase, they may create strategies to compensate for a lack in coordination of muscle movement.
When oral motor problems are identified early, appropriate intervention may prevent future problems.