Causes for Concern in Feeding
Feeding is a complex activity that not only requires the cooperation of numerous muscles and systems within the body, but also provides your child with opportunities for communication and social experiences. How you feed your baby and transition them to solid foods is essential for their overall health, well-being, and, ultimately, speech development.
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birth to 4 months
difficulty latching to breast or bottle
gulping or clicking sounds during feedings
loses milk out of their mouth when breast/bottle feeding
reflux that is not explained by allergies or GI issues
constant drooling
noisy or open-mouth breathing
4 to 8 months
dislikes teethers
persistent gagging after many exposures to purees/solids
tongue pushes food out of mouth after several weeks of purees/solids
doesn't close lips on spoons after several weeks of purees/solids
doesn't suck from a straw after many chances to practice
needs a pacifier constantly throughout the day
constant drooling
noisy or open-mouth breathing
8 to 12 months
only eats purees, mashed solids, or dissolvable solids
gags on foods that need more chewing
uses tongue to mash food instead of chewing
refuses several foods or has less than 20 foods in their diet
needs a pacifier constantly throughout the day
constant drooling
noisy or open-mouth breathing
12 to 18 months
struggling to wean from the bottle to a straw/open cup
struggles to eat harder textured or mixed textured foods
gags on food
needs a pacifier constantly throughout the day
constant drooling
noisy or open-mouth breathing
18 to 24 months
gags on any foods
difficulty drinking from a straw or open cup
dislikes a category of foods (wet foods, slippery foods, textured foods, etc.)
needs a pacifier constantly throughout the day
constant drooling
noisy or open-mouth breathing