Eating Drinking and Feeding Difficulties
Eating, drinking, and swallowing are vital everyday activities, and our speech and language therapy team is here to support children and young people who experience difficulties in these areas.
Who are we?
We are Specialist Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs). We help babies and children who have trouble: Sucking, chewing, or swallowing food or drinks safely, accepting food or feeding (for example, if they avoid eating or dislike food around their mouth).
You might be seen by:
- A member of the Community Feeding Team
- Someone from the School Age Learning & Dysphagia Team
- A SLT working with the Complex Developmental Assessment (CDA) team
What happens at the first appointment?
We’ll usually start by calling you on the phone. During this call, we’ll ask some questions about your child’s feeding and may give you some advice right away.
The first appointment is often a home visit, especially for younger pre-school children.
We will:
- Watch how your child eats and drinks
- Check their feeding position
- Look at what textures they can manage (like smooth or lumpy foods)
- See how well they can swallow and how their mouth and body work together during feeding
For school-aged children, we may visit them at school.
If we visit you at home, please have some food and drink ready for the appointment (we’ll tell you what to prepare in advance).
Where will we see your child?
Where will we see your child?
Most children are seen at home, but we can also visit nursery, school, or childminders. For school-age children, we may see them at school. We’ll decide the best place for us to see your child with you.
After the first appointment
After the first appointment
We may talk with other people who support your child (e.g. doctors, health visitors, or other therapists). We will make a plan together to help your child eat and drink more easily and safely. Sometimes we may need to refer your child for more tests (e.g. an X-ray to check swallowing)
How often will you see us?
How often will you see us?
We’ll agree with you how often your child will be seen. It depends on their needs and how they are doing. Follow-up appointments might be:
- In person
- Over the phone
- On a video call
We’ll keep checking their progress and update the plan as needed.
Who do we work with?
Who do we work with?
We often work with other professionals, like:
- Doctors and paediatricians
- Dietitians
- Health Visitors (PHINS)
- GPs
- Teachers and school staff
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
How can you help?
How can you help?
- Follow the advice and use the strategies we give you — this helps your child improve faster
- Make sure your child attends their appointments
- Let us know if your contact details or GP change
If you’re worried about your child’s feeding, please check the Dysphagia Guidelines to decide what to do next. If needed, you can download and complete the referral form
Useful websites
Useful websites
- Start for Life (NHS) – Videos and tips on feeding babies and toddlers
- Infant and Toddler Forum – Nutrition and weaning help
- Bliss – Info on feeding premature babies
- Child Feeding Guide – Tools for fussy eating and happy mealtimes
- RCSLT Dysphagia Overview – What dysphagia is (feeding and swallowing problems)
- International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) – Standards to describe food and drink textures for safety
