Feeding/Swallowing Disorder

A child with a feeding/swallowing disorder, or dysphagia, may exhibit any of the following signs or symptoms: coughing/choking during oral intake, difficulty chewing, difficulty drinking from a bottle or cup, difficulty feeding from a spoon, failure to progress in an age-appropriate diet, and avoidance of certain textures of foods.

• A videofluoroscopic swallow study may be indicated if your child persistently has difficulty with coughing or choking during oral intake. Your primary care physician will refer you for this procedure. The speech pathologist who performs the procedure will give your child various consistencies to drink/eat during the study to determine if your child is having difficulty swallowing.
• A functional feeding evaluation may be indicated if your child is exhibiting difficulty with gagging with certain textures of foods, difficulty progressing in age-appropriate solids, or exhibits difficulty with chewing foods.