Psychology Commons^™

Early Oral-Motor Interventions For Pediatric Feeding Problems: What, When And How, C. J. Manno, C. Fox, P. S. Eicher, Mary Louise Kerwin

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

Children with developmental delays often have feeding difficulties resulting from oral-motor problems. Based on both clinical experience and a review of published studies, oral-motor interventions have been shown to be effective in improving the oral function of preterm infants and children with neuromotor disorders, such as cerebral palsy. However, oral-motor problems may be under identified in other populations of children with developmental difficulties. The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework for understanding oral-motor skill development and problems that can occur in any infant and young child and to review oral-motor treatment techniques and their empirical support.