How Speech Therapy Helps with Feeding & Oral Motor Skills

Did you know that speech therapy can also help with feeding and swallowing? It’s true—speech-language pathologists (SLPs) don’t just focus on words and sounds. They’re also experts in how the mouth, tongue, lips, and jaw work together to support both speech and safe, effective feeding.

Feeding challenges are more common than most parents realize. Up to 25–45% of typically developing children and as many as 80% of children with developmental differences experience feeding difficulties (Arvedson, 2008). Whether it’s picky eating, gagging, texture sensitivities, or trouble chewing and swallowing, speech therapy can play a major role in helping children eat confidently and safely.

What Are Oral Motor Skills?

Oral motor skills refer to how the muscles in the mouth, face, and jaw move and coordinate. These muscles are responsible for:

• Sucking and swallowing in infants

• Chewing and moving food safely in the mouth

• Controlling airflow for speech sounds

• Managing saliva and breath during eating and talking

When these muscles don’t work together efficiently, children may struggle with feeding and articulation.

Signs of Feeding or Oral Motor Difficulties

You might notice your child:

• Has trouble chewing or prefers only soft foods

• Frequently gags or spits out food

• Has difficulty drinking from a straw or open cup

• Avoids certain textures or temperatures

• Drools excessively after infancy

• Takes a long time to finish meals

• Struggles to make certain speech sounds

While some of these signs can be part of normal development, ongoing difficulties can point to an underlying oral motor or sensory issue best assessed by an SLP trained in feeding therapy.

How Speech Therapy Supports Feeding and Oral Development

Speech therapy addresses feeding difficulties through a holistic, sensory-aware, and family-centered approach. Some key areas include:

1. Strengthening Oral Muscles

Therapists guide exercises that help children develop the control and coordination needed for chewing, swallowing, and producing clear speech sounds.

2. Improving Sensory Tolerance

Many feeding challenges stem from sensory sensitivities. SLPs use gradual exposure techniques to help children tolerate different textures, smells, and temperatures at their own pace.

3. Building Safe Swallowing Patterns

For children with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), therapy focuses on safe techniques for chewing, swallowing, and preventing aspiration.

4. Encouraging Positive Mealtime Routines

Feeding therapy often includes coaching parents on structured, stress-free mealtime routines that encourage exploration, independence, and fun with food.

5. Linking Feeding and Speech Development

The same muscles used for eating are also responsible for speech! Working on oral coordination for feeding can directly improve articulation and sound production (Gisel, 1994).

Parent Tips for Supporting Oral Motor Development

• Model chewing and sipping: Kids learn best by imitation.

• Offer variety: Present foods of different textures, colors, and temperatures to encourage exploration.

• Avoid pressure: Keep mealtimes calm and positive.

• Encourage oral play: Blowing bubbles, using straws, and silly mouth games all help strengthen muscles.

• Celebrate small victories: Each step toward comfort with new foods is progress.

Helping Kids Thrive

Feeding and speech go hand in hand—both rely on strong oral motor control, sensory comfort, and positive experiences. With the right support, children can build confidence in both how they eat and how they speak.

At tuLIPS Speech Therapy, our therapists provide compassionate, evidence-based feeding and oral motor therapy tailored to your child’s unique needs—because every child deserves to communicate and nourish their body with confidence.

Works Cited:

• Arvedson, J. C. (2008). Assessment of pediatric dysphagia and feeding disorders: Clinical and instrumental approaches. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 14(2), 118–127.

• Gisel, E. G. (1994). Oral-motor skills following sensorimotor intervention in the moderately eating-impaired child with cerebral palsy. Dysphagia, 9(3), 180–192.

Feeding difficulties? Learn how speech therapists support safe swallowing, oral motor development, sensory tolerance, and healthy eating habits through evidence-based techniques. Perfect guide for parents of toddlers and young children.

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