Swallowing Therapy
Feeding and Swallowing Problems in Children
For children with feeding and swallowing difficulties, several issues must be addressed in order to provide accurate diagnosis and therapy. These include the sensory function, the development of oro-motor muscles and the swallowing function.
Sensory Impairment in children
Due to neurological impairment or overall lack of stimulation, some children may have a very low threshold to a certain kind of food. They may move away or cry when you try to touch their mouth or face. They may also gag easily (have a hypersensitive gag). Other children may have hyposensitivity problems. They may require more stimulation than other children normally do. Some children may like to put things with different textures into their mouth. Others may constantly grind their jaw to obtain that stimulation. These sensory problems will adversely affect feeding and swallowing. Therefore, a thorough assessment is required to rule out any sensory problems in children with feeding and swallowing problems.
Check out the Feeding development of children
Reference: Swigert, N.B. (1998). The source for Pediatric Dysaphagia. LinguiSystems
Treatment on feeding and swallowing disorders in children
The treatment for feeding and swallowing disorders in children include exercises to normalize the sensory functions of the child, muscle strengthening exercises to improve the control of the oro-facial muscles, adjusting the feeding posture, using appropriate feeding skills to facilitate the swallowing, and addressing behavioral problems associated with the feeding and swallowing disorders.
