Progressive Speech Therapy

Resources for Parents

What are some signs or symptoms of feeding and swallowing disorders in children?

Children with feeding and swallowing problems have a wide variety of symptoms. Not all signs and symptoms are present in every child.

The following are signs and symptoms of feeding and swallowing problems in young children:

• arching or stiffening of the body during feeding
• irritability or lack of alertness during feeding
• refusing food or liquid
• failure to accept different textures of food (e.g., only pureed foods or crunchy cereals)
• long feeding times (e.g., more than 30 minutes)
• difficulty chewing
• difficulty breast feeding
• coughing or gagging during meals
• excessive drooling or food/liquid coming out of the mouth or nose
• difficulty coordinating breathing with eating and drinking
• increased stuffiness during meals
• gurgly, hoarse, or breathy voice quality
• frequent spitting up or vomiting
• recurring pneumonia or respiratory infections
• less than normal weight gain or growth 

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