Speech delay and feeding issues...

If your DC had a speech delay, did they also have issues with feeding?

DS is 17 months old and says 3 words. Mama, Baba, and Dada... He also has serious issues with eating. Right now he will only eat crackers/cookies or mushy foods. Nothing in between. No meats, no veggies. I know a few friends kids had a speech delay and they had eating issues.. Can the two be related? Or is it just a coincidence??? Does anyone on here have the same issues?

Message edited 4/6/2011 12:59:04 PM.

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

My DS had a slight speech delay and an immature suck/swallow reflex. The ped gave me some exercises to do with him to make his tongue stronger. It's been a while but I remember rubbing a spoon on his tongue to get him to push back against it. If that hadn't worked we would have had to see a GI for help.

I worked with him on the speech delay as well (my ex-SIL is a speech pathologist and gave me some stuff) and we sent him to preschool at 2 years old and that helped with his speech delay too.

But again they were both very slight and I was lucky that we were able to pretty much resolve them ourselves.

Good luck!

ETA: Now he doesn't stop talking, I can't believe I was so worried about him.

Message edited 4/6/2011 1:04:42 PM.

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

The two can definitely be related. DS was speech delayed and at 18 months had no words. He didn't have eating issues (well he just doesn't want to eat but that's another story!) but I was recommend a mommy and me group at CW Post for speech delayed kids. The woman also runs a feeding group. The woman Cristina who runs it, is AMAZING!!! She has so much information and the programs are wonderful. Your DC can attend even if they haven't been evaluated (they can do evaluations as well) or if they were denied services. The speech group is called Chat pack and the eating group is called the Munchee Bunch. If you are anywhere near CW Post you should give them a call. I cannot praise the program enough.
The number is 516-299-2437.
FM if you have any questions!

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

Posted by lc214

The two can definitely be related. DS was speech delayed and at 18 months had no words. He didn't have eating issues (well he just doesn't want to eat but that's another story!) but I was recommend a mommy and me group at CW Post for speech delayed kids. The woman also runs a feeding group. The woman Cristina who runs it, is AMAZING!!! She has so much information and the programs are wonderful. Your DC can attend even if they haven't been evaluated (they can do evaluations as well) or if they were denied services. The speech group is called Chat pack and the eating group is called the Munchee Bunch. If you are anywhere near CW Post you should give them a call. I cannot praise the program enough.
The number is 516-299-2437 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              516-299-2437      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
FM if you have any questions!

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

You know Mason has a feeding issue. He's getting a drop better, but he's become the pickiest eater ever.

However, he doesn't have too bad of a speech delay. Although the last month or so he's really saying a lot more words. I was thinking the same thing as you... at 18 months he didn't say a lot and he's a BIG babbler. The therapist wasn't conserned b/c she said girls have a tendancy to mature faster than boys.
Mason says words then babbles between them... "Ga do papa, mommy, Gutta gutta fish"

No clue, but he'll say three words in a gibberish sentence.
Even know he learning more and more. He still doesn't do sentences at 22 months.
I'm not concerned though.
If you are have you spoken with a therapist?
BTW... I see you're going to be at the GTG next week. We'll have to bring mush and crackers for the boys while the other kids eat the food

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

my son ( almost 4 now) has a speech delay and yes he had feeding issues, constant choking, some textrure issues, and a few other minor things. He has outgrown them.

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

Posted by BAM 2009

Posted by lc214

The two can definitely be related. DS was speech delayed and at 18 months had no words. He didn't have eating issues (well he just doesn't want to eat but that's another story!) but I was recommend a mommy and me group at CW Post for speech delayed kids. The woman also runs a feeding group. The woman Cristina who runs it, is AMAZING!!! She has so much information and the programs are wonderful. Your DC can attend even if they haven't been evaluated (they can do evaluations as well) or if they were denied services. The speech group is called Chat pack and the eating group is called the Munchee Bunch. If you are anywhere near CW Post you should give them a call. I cannot praise the program enough.
The number is 516-299-2437 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              516-299-2437      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
FM if you have any questions!

Thank you so much for the information. My pedi kind of swept it under the rug. Then another dr in the group told me that it is really hard for toddlers to get evaluated and most get denied. I am thinking there is something wrong and I want to get him evaluated. I will call first thing tomorrow. I don't live to far from CW Post...Thanks so much...

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

My DD has both. To me, it makes sense that if there is a delay in one there will be with the other...if the muscles aren't strong enough to form words properly, they may not be strong enough to chew properly either.

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

AJ is in another category all together but he had speech issues and feeding issues, but the feeding issues were due to textures and sensory issues (he is autistic).

Carmela was a later talker (18 months) and she has feeding issues. she has low muscle tone, doesnt chew, sucks and if it doesnt dissolve spits it out or squirrels it away until later.

at 20 months she has the vocabulary of a 24 month old but still has major feeding issues

Re: Speech delay and feeding issues...

Thanks for all of the replies. It helps to know I am not alone. DS has texture issues. Ever since he started to eat baby food. Now at 17 months it still is a challenge to feed him. Just baby food and yogurt. He was eating pancake and waffles up until this past week. And he will eat ritz crackers and cookies all day if I let him. If it doesn't feel right in his hand, he won't put it in his mouth. If he gets something in his mouth and it isn't right, he gags and spits it out. As for the speech, he will say one word once and never say it again. It is frustrating for him because he knows what he wants but can't tell me verbally. He points or will bring me what he wants...