When should a parent or caregiver be concerned about a potential feeding disorder in a child?
There are a wide variety of signs and symptoms that may indicate a pediatric feeding or swallowing concern; not all signs and symptoms are present in every child.
In very young children, you may notice:
- Stressful feeding or mealtimes for the whole family
- Arching or stiffening of the body during feeding
- Displaying irritability or lack of alertness during feeding
- Refusing food or liquids
- Failing to accept different textures of food (e.g., accepting only pureed foods or crunchy cereals)
- Long feeding times (e.g., more than 30 minutes)
- Difficulty chewing
- Difficulty breastfeeding
- Coughing or gagging during meals
- Excessive drooling, or food or liquid coming out of the mouth or nose
- Difficulty coordinating breathing with eating and drinking
- Increased stuffiness during meals
- Gurgling, hoarse, or breathy voice quality
- Frequent spitting up or vomiting
- Recurring pneumonia or respiratory infections
- Less than normal weight gain or growth
- Refusing to eat at school or with friends
As a result, children may be at risk for:
- Dehydration or poor nutrition
- Aspiration (food or liquid entering the airway)
- Pneumonia or repeated upper respiratory infections that can lead to chronic lung disease
- Embarrassment or isolation in social situations involving eating
Source: 1997-2022 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, ASHA