When Eating Is Hard: How Jaw, Lip, and Tongue Coordination Affects Your Child’s Feeding
Feeding your child shouldn’t be a daily struggle—but for many families, it is. If your baby or toddler coughs during meals, refuses textured foods, or takes a long time to eat, there may be more going on than just picky eating.
At RDB Speech, I work with children as young as 6 months old who are facing challenges with the coordination of their jaw, lips, and tongue—essential muscles that must work together for successful feeding.
Why Oral-Motor Coordination Matters
Feeding is a complex process that relies on precise muscle coordination. For a child to eat safely and effectively, their jaw, lips, and tongue must work in a coordinated manner to bite, chew, move food in the mouth, and swallow.
When there’s a disconnect in this system, feeding can become difficult, exhausting, or even unsafe.
Signs Your Child May Be Struggling
You may notice your child:
Gagging, coughing, or choking on food
Difficulty transitioning to textured or solid foods
Food frequently falling out of the mouth
Long mealtimes or early fatigue
Excessive drooling during meals
Preference for purees and resistance to chewing
These signs are often misunderstood as behavioral—but they may actually point to motor coordination difficulties.
Common Causes of Oral-Motor Challenges
Feeding issues like these can be caused by:
Low or high oral muscle tone
Developmental disorders
Tongue-tie or other structural concerns (e.g. enlarged adenoids or tonsils)
Mouth breathing
Limited oral experience due to early tube feeding
These challenges can affect a child’s nutrition, weight gain, and mealtime participation.
How RDB Speech Can Help
I provide personalized, evidence-based care for children with oral-motor coordination difficulties. Services may include:
Jaw strengthening exercises with child-friendly tools or resistive foods.
Lip closure activities like straw drinking or horn blowing
Tongue mobility and control activities
Sensory-based feeding strategies to reduce aversions
Parent education and home strategies
My approach is easy-going, play-based, and designed to build your child’s confidence—while helping you feel supported every step of the way.
Early Support Matters
Feeding challenges can improve significantly with early intervention. If something doesn’t feel right during mealtimes, trust your instincts.
Schedule a Feeding Evaluation
Schedule a comprehensive feeding assessment for children starting at 6 months of age. To learn more or to book an appointment, contact me today:
Helping your child eat with confidence and comfort
