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Feeding & Swallowing Milestones

This framework for Feeding and Swallowing Milestones was adapted from Pediatric Swallowing and Feeding: Assessment and Management by Joan C. Arvedson and Linda Brodsky as well as the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) Feeding Infants & Toddlers Strategies for Safe, Stress-free Mealtimes by Jessica L. McCarthy for the Mosaic Child Project.  It should also be noted that this is only a general idea of when children reach specific milestones for eating and it is not rigid.  Feeding and Swallowing deficits or disorders (dysphagia) are significant to a child's health, nutrition, hydration, and growth.  If you suspect that your child may be having difficulties, trust your gut and refer to your pediatrician.  

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Learn more about the Swallow Process and Dysphagia here.

Birth to 6
BIRTH TO 6 MONTHS
  • Nipple feeding(breast or bottle) 

  • Hand to mouth movements begin. Opens mouth to suck fist especially if hungry. 

  • Semi-flexed posture during feeding.

  • Gag response to food and objects in the mouth is noticeable and typical.

  • Moves tongue in and out, and up and down.

  • Responds to stimulation in and around mouth.  Turns head toward nipple when parent strokes the cheeks. This signals that the baby is ready to eat. 

  • Coordinates breath with two to three sucks of liquid before swallowing and breathing (Suck-Swallow-Breathe Pattern).

  • Interacts with parent during feeding through gaze. 

  • Begins to put hands on bottle during feeding

  • Spoon feeding introduced around 4 months

6 TO 9 MONTHS
  • Holds the bottle independently.

  • Gag response decreases as they become more used to food.

  • Upright position during feeding.

  • Increases lip closure around spoon and cleans spoon with upper lip.

  • Helps parent with spoon.

  • Accepts spoon feeding of thin and smooth pureed food.

  • Begins to move food from side to side of the mouth.

  • Eruption of front teeth.

  • Begins to finger feed solids.

  • Munching (vertical chewing pattern) begins.

  • Able to suck liquids from cup.

6-9
9-12
9 T0 12 MONTHS
  • Drinks from cup held by parent.

  • Drinks out of a sippy cup and attempts to hold the handle independently.

  • Begins to drink from open cup.

  • Begins to drink through a straw.

  • Eats thicker foods and different food textures.

  • Begins to chew in a rotary (circular) motion.

  • Bites into harder foods.

  • Increased finger feeding of small, soft, dissolvable foods.

  • Intentionally reaches for spoon.

  • Can close the lips to clear the spoon.

  • Begins to close lips while swallowing liquids and soft solids.

  • Chews softer, lumpy, mashed foods and keeps most food in the mouth. 

12 TO 18 MONTHS
12-18
  • Grasps spoon with whole hand for self-feeding.

  • Holds cup independently with both hands.

  • Holds and tips bottle independently.

  • Copes with most food textures offered but still has some difficulty.

  • Begins to reject certain foods.

  • 4-5 consecutive sips when drinking.

  • Begins to eat chopped foods.

  • Bites through crunchy foods like cookies and crackers.

  • Moves the food in mouth from side to side as they chew.

18 TO 24 MONTHS
18 -24
  • Primarily feeds self but may still need help.

  • Chews a wide range of food textures.

  • Mouth and jaw (oral) movements are more precise.

  • Swallows with lips closed.

  • Feeds self using a spoon but may still need assistance.

24 TO 36 MONTHS
  • Circular jaw movement (rotary chewing).

  • Chews and drinks with lips closed.

  • Holds cup with one hand without spilling.

  • Fills spoon with finger.

  • Eats a wide range of foods and drinks.

  • Complete and total self-feeding.

  • Uses fork and can scoop with spoon.

24-36
CCC-SLP ASHA certified speech language pathologist
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