Speech Teletherapy: Motivating a Child
February 5, 2025
- Phone: (361) 792-0822
- Fax: (361) 288-4109
Dysphagia refers to difficulty with feeding or swallowing—whether that’s safely moving food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach, or developing the coordination needed to eat comfortably. Swallowing is something most people do without thinking, but it requires a complex balance of muscles and reflexes.
In both children and adults, dysphagia can affect nutrition, safety, and quality of life. It may show up as coughing or choking, food refusal, weight changes, or even repeated illnesses. Therapy helps identify the cause and offers strategies to make eating safer and more enjoyable.
Feeding and swallowing are essential—not just for health and growth, but for daily routines, social connection, and comfort.
When these skills are disrupted, they can lead to:
In Children:
✔ Trouble transitioning to solid foods
✔ Gagging, coughing, or excessive drooling during meals
✔ Long mealtimes or refusal to eat
✔ Difficulty coordinating chewing and swallowing
✔ Pocketing food or fatigue while eating
✔ Strong preferences for certain textures or temperatures
In Adults:
✔ Coughing, choking, or throat clearing during meals
✔ Food feeling “stuck” in the throat or chest
✔ Difficulty chewing or swallowing
✔ Weight loss or avoiding certain textures
✔ Wet-sounding voice after eating or drinking
✔ Frequent chest congestion or respiratory infections
✔ Stroke, brain injury, or neurological conditions (e.g., Parkinson’s, MS, ALS)
✔ Developmental delays or premature birth
✔ Congenital conditions (e.g., cleft palate, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy)
✔ Reflux, sensory sensitivities, or structural differences
✔ Head and neck surgery or cancer treatment
Our team supports both developmental feeding challenges in children and acquired dysphagia in adults.
Next, the SLP performs a clinical evaluation. This may include observing the child during meals, assessing oral motor skills, and identifying any sensory sensitivities. Based on these observations, the therapist can outline specific goals and strategies tailored to the child’s needs.
We may assess:
Ongoing staff and family education play a crucial role in implementing the feeding plan. SLPs provide training to parents and caregivers on safe feeding practices. They teach strategies to minimize risks, such as aspiration and choking.
Feeding and swallowing therapy is personalized, functional, and family-focused.
For children, therapy may involve:
For adults, sessions often focus on:
Therapy is always respectful, non-pressuring, and based on real-life needs.
Feeding challenges affect more than nutrition—they can impact our relationships, routines, and daily enjoyment of life. Mealtimes are often where we connect with others, share traditions, and enjoy food.
Whether you’re helping a child explore new foods or working to regain confidence after a medical event, feeding therapy supports safety, comfort, and connection—so meals can feel easier and more meaningful again.
At Simply Speech, PLLC, our mission is to provide ethical, professional, and personalized speech, language, and swallowing therapy to patients in Corpus Christi and across Texas, fostering meaningful progress in a fun and supportive environment.
1828 Waldron Rd, Corpus Christi, TX 78418