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A Concise Guide to Easing Your Child’s Chewing & Swallowing Problems

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Published
06/20/2023

Becoming a parent instantly transports you into a place of wanting to do everything in your power to ensure your child is safe, happy, healthy and thriving and when they experience a health issue, regardless of the context, it can be worrying and frustrating in equal measure.

For those parents who have a child who is struggling with chewing and swallowing and it is starting to affect their levels of physical health and nutrition, you should of course contact your medical doctor and make an appointment as soon as possible.

In addition, you may well find this concise guide to easing your child’s chewing and swallowing problems of benefit too.

 

Book an Appointment with a Speech & Language Therapist

 

Speech and language therapy is a fascinating branch of medicine which is relatively new in terms of proven-to-be successful treatments for a wide range of issues associated with the mouth and throat.

Aside from helping your child to engage in swallowing therapy, as well as addressing, if appropriate, the core root of the issue with eating, speech and language therapists can also help with:

  • Voice problems
  • Stammering
  • Stuttering
  • Mental health issues
  • Hearing impairment

 

Try Adding a Food Thickening Agent

 

If your son or daughter is struggling with eating and drinking, or indeed either one of the two, and you are looking for additional ways to help them as well as following your doctor’s instructions, then you should consider investing in a quality food thickener such as #SimplyThick.

Thickening agents essentially work by thickening the liquid to a point whereby the swallowing process is easier, far less stressful, and slower, allowing your child to be more in control.

Furthermore, make sure that any foods you present to your child, whether that be at mealtimes or as a midday snack, are cut into small pieces and do not contain any sharp edges or hard sides that could cause further issues.

 

Change the Way You Feed Your Child

 

Another simple yet effective method of helping your child to be more comfortable and successful when eating is to change the way you present and serve the food.

Everyone knows the effectiveness of hiding healthy vegetables inside more appealing foods to kid your child that they are eating junk food, but when a child is struggling with eating anything, regardless of how entertaining the arrangement on the plate, this is not enough.

Let your child sit down to eat wherever they feel most comfortable, and even if this goes against your picture-perfect image of family mealtimes around the dining room table, if your child is happier on the couch, then you should let them be.

In addition, make sure your child remains sitting upright and does not lie down to sleep for a full hour after eating, no matter how much or how little they manage to consume. Again, you must seek professional medical advice if your child does not eat for a full day.

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