Mealtimes can be frustrating when your child seems to struggle with chewing, drinking, or moving food around in their mouth. While many children go through phases of picky eating, ongoing difficulty eating certain foods or managing bites may be a sign of an oral motor feeding challenge.
Recognizing the signs early can help your child receive the support they need to eat more safely and comfortably. In today’s blog article, we’ll explain what these specific feeding challenges are, what can cause them, and how pediatric therapy can help your child learn to eat and drink more comfortably.
What Are Oral Motor Feeding Skills?
Oral motor skills are the coordinated movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, and cheeks. These muscles work together every time your child eats, drinks, chews, swallows, or even speaks. These skills develop gradually as children grow and begin eating different textures and types of food.
When these skills are still developing or aren’t working as expected, children may have difficulty during meals. In that case, eating can sometimes become difficult, tiring, or even stressful.
Signs Your Child May Have Oral Motor Feeding Challenges
Every child develops feeding skills at their own pace, but some signs suggest your child could benefit from additional support. While occasional challenges are common, persistent difficulties may be worth discussing with a pediatric therapist. This includes if you notice that your child:
- Has difficulty chewing certain foods
- Keeps food in their mouth for a long time before swallowing
- Frequently coughs or gags while eating or drinking
- Has trouble moving food from one side of the mouth to the other
- Loses food or liquid from their mouth while eating
- Avoids foods that require a lot of chewing
- Prefers soft or pureed foods long after their peers
- Seems unusually tired by the end of a meal
What Causes Oral Motor Feeding Challenges?
There are many reasons why a child may have difficulty with oral motor skills. Some children simply need additional practice as their feeding skills develop, while others may have underlying conditions that affect the strength, coordination, or control of the muscles used for eating and drinking.
Oral motor feeding challenges can be associated with:
- Developmental delays
- Neurological conditions (e.g. cerebral palsy)
- Low muscle tone
- Premature birth
- Structural differences involving the mouth or jaw
A feeding evaluation can help identify the specific factors contributing to your child’s difficulties and guide the best approach for treatment.
How Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy Can Help with Feeding Challenges
If your child has oral motor feeding challenges, occupational therapy or speech therapy can help strengthen the skills needed for safer, more comfortable eating.
Depending on your child’s unique needs, therapy may focus on improving the strength and coordination of the lips, tongue, jaw, and cheeks; developing more effective chewing patterns; or supporting safe swallowing during meals. Our therapists can also help children build the oral motor skills needed to manage a wider variety of food textures as they grow.
At Tender Ones Therapy Services, our occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists work closely with families to create individualized treatment plans that support each child’s feeding and oral motor development. We also provide practical strategies parents can use at home to help make mealtimes more successful.
When to Reach Out for Support
If your child regularly struggles with chewing, swallowing, managing food in their mouth, or eating a variety of textures, it’s okay to ask questions. Early support can help children build stronger feeding skills while making mealtimes less stressful for the whole family.
At Tender Ones Therapy Services, our pediatric therapists help children develop the oral motor skills they need to eat safely and confidently. Contact our team today to schedule an evaluation and learn how we can support your child’s development and growth.
