When swallowing thin liquid (such as water, milk, or juice), sometimes it may “go down the wrong way.” If this occurs frequently, it could begin to impact the child’s health and may end with a pneumonia. Our speech-language pathologists are trained with strategies, exercises, and techniques to help reduce the occurrence of aspiration and penetration.

Sometimes, children have difficulty chewing and “manipulating” food in their mouth. For example, they may swallow bites of food whole, push food out, or have difficulty containing the food inside their mouth. Our therapists are ready to improve strength and coordination to make eating more efficient for your child.

As a child is introduced to new foods, you may begin to see certain behaviors emerge such as: gagging, spitting out food, avoiding certain foods, or even tantruming at mealtime. Or maybe your child prefers to stick with one texture and consistency of foods. If these food refusals begin to significantly impact a child’s diet, treatment from our speech and occupational therapists may be beneficial.

As children grow, they learn to eat and drink by themselves. This includes a child’s ability to pick up foods with his/her fingers, hold a cup or bottle, use utensils, and bring food items to their mouth. Our occupational therapists are here to help your child meet these milestones.