The Importance Of Early Intervention For Feeding Therapy

Recognizing signs and symptoms of feeding issues is imperative when it comes to early intervention for your child. When these challenges are addressed in early childhood, there are less likely to be long-term consequences. 

There are many reasons why a child could face feeding difficulties, including developmental, physical, medical and behavioral. When a child faces feeding issues, it can impact every aspect of their life, including difficulties in a child’s physical, emotional, and social development. Not only does it affect the child but everyone in the family, and it drastically affects everyone's quality of life. 

1. Less stress on the child and family

When parents and caregivers learn the signs and symptoms of feeding issues early, everyone in the family, especially the child, experiences less stress. Empowering parents by educating them is a great way to ensure they seek early intervention if they notice their child is experiencing any difficulties. This early intervention will improve the overall well-being of everyone involved. 

1. Positive Feeding Experiences

The earlier a parent can seek help for their child, the more likely they are to foster positive feeding experiences with their child. Educating parents using proven strategies allows them to implement them earlier to help their child. This gives them the opportunity to create a positive feeding environment rather than stress at mealtimes. 

1. Help Prevent Other Delays 

When a child receives early intervention for feeding challenges, it can help prevent other delays with speech and development of the mouth. Since eating involves using many muscles in the mouth, when a child experiences feeding difficulties, it can indicate issues with oral development, which in turn can impact the child’s ability to speak. Additionally, feeding difficulties can impact nutritional deficiencies, which impact their physical development and overall health. 

If you’re experiencing feeding difficulties with your child, be sure to reach out for help. The earlier you start feeding therapy, the better. We know it’s not easy and we’re here to help. Small changes can make a big difference. Check out more of our blog posts for information. Another great resource that we love is the Chicago Feeding Group. 

Our course Out Of The Mouth Of Babes teaches parents about the signs and symptoms to watch out for babies ages 0-6 months.