Pediatric Feeding Evaluation and Treatment
A pediatric feeding evaluation is when a speech pathologist assesses the
difficulty a child is having with feeding and swallowing.
Some of the following red flags may be indications that your child is in need of a feeding evaluation and feeding therapy:
- Inability to transition to purees by 10 months
- Inability to transition to chewables by 16 months
- Difficulty transitioning off the bottle/breast to a cup/straw
- Aversion/avoidance of specific food groups/textures
- Refusing previously accepted foods and not resuming them over time
- Coughing, choking, arching with feedings
- Poor weight gain/concerns from pediatrician about percentile on growth curve
- Bottles/meals taking longer than 30 minutes
- Fights at mealtime/stressful mealtimes
- Requires distractions with all meals
We conduct feeding evaluations and therapy for a variety of patients from infants to 21 years of age including children with:
- Down syndrome
- Oral motor weakness
- Failure to thrive
- Problem feeders/food aversions
- Reflux
- Cerebral palsy
- Babies with difficulty transitioning off the breast/bottle or to solid foods
- Airway disorders
- Transitioning from tube feeds
- Autism
- Cleft palate/craniofacial disorders
- Genetic disorders
- Coughing/choking with feeding
- Sensory processing disorder
- Chewing difficulties
What you need to know to prepare for a pediatric feeding evaluation