Feeding
36CHAPTER
319
Feeding is one of the first abilities that a child develops to meet her needs. Even a
newborn baby has reflexes that cause her to:
turn her head to
seek the breast
when her cheek
is touched.
suck and
swallow,
and cry when
hungry.
By a few months of age,
the child learns to take
solid food in her mouth
and eat it.
cp
Normally a child’s feeding skills gradually increase without any special training. She
learns first to use her lips and tongue to suck and swallow liquids. Later she learns to
bite and chew solid foods, and to take food to her mouth with her hands. The early
head-turning and sucking reflexes gradually go away as she learns to control her feeding
movements.
Some children, however, do not develop feeding skills easily or naturally. This may be
because the child’s whole development is slow. Or, because the child has a particular
physical difficulty (such as a hole in the roof of her mouth—see “Cleft Palate,” p. 120).
Children with cerebral palsy often have feeding difficulties, which are sometimes
severe. Difficulty with sucking (or being unable to suck) may be the first sign in a
child who later develops other signs of cerebral palsy. Or the child may have trouble
swallowing, and easily choke on food. Uncontrolled movements of the body, pushing out
the tongue, or floppy, inactive lips may also be a problem.
One reason that some disabled children are slow to develop self-feeding skills is that
their families continue to do everything for them. Because of a child’s other difficulties,
her family may continue to treat her as a baby. They may give her only liquids, and put
everything into her mouth, rather than encouraging her to do more for herself.
cp
REMEMBER: Helping the child develop feeding skills as early
as possible is of special importance because good nutrition is
essential for health and life. The food needs of a disabled child
are the same as for any child.
Good use of the lips and tongue when feeding is also important
for future speech.