Cerebral Palsy Eating and Feeding Tips

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Children with cerebral palsy often need additional assistance when eating. The following tips can help make daily meal times a bit easier.

How Does Cerebral Palsy Affect Eating?

Cerebral palsy affects the musculoskeletal system. It can affect any muscles in the body, including those that control chewing and swallowing.

If a child with cerebral palsy has weakness or poor control over these muscles, they will struggle to eat independently. They can be at risk for choking, aspiration, and malnutrition.

Tips for Feeding a Child with Cerebral Palsy

Many infants and children with cerebral palsy experience difficulties when eating and drinking. Some kids will only have minor issues, whereas others have severe oral motor disorders and need significant help.[1]

Numerous medical studies have shown that children with cerebral palsy have a high chance of suffering some degree of malnutrition.

Mealtimes with children who have cerebral palsy can last much longer than the average mealtime, regardless of how severe the disorder is. Even with longer mealtimes, some children still will not get the nutrition they need.

Make Eating a Positive Experience

To help your child learn about feeding and get adequate nutrition, you’ll need to introduce food and eating in a positive way.

Make sure your child can see the plate and food clearly, and consider purchasing child-friendly, colorful plates and utensils. You may even consider using dishes with a favorite cartoon character printed on them.

Smelling, touching, and learning about food help children better understand eating and ultimately help the feeding process. Allow your child to touch and smell the food before attempting to feed.

Monitor Swallowing

Once you start feeding your child, make sure they swallow fully. Children with cerebral palsy often have trouble swallowing all of their food. This can become a problem, especially if the child is not getting enough nutrition.

Speak with your child’s primary healthcare provider about the numerous techniques for helping your child open their mouth the correct way.

Some children with cerebral palsy tend to thrust their tongues and have difficulty keeping their mouths closed. You can help by providing soft foods that can be swallowed and digested more easily.

You may need to utilize the services of a speech-language therapist, especially if your child has trouble swallowing.

Help Your Child Eat Independently

Once your child learns proper swallowing techniques and you are confident they are getting the needed nutrition, consider letting the child practice feeding alone. Start by placing a spoon in the child’s hand and guiding the food into their mouth.

Practice the step until the child grasps the concept and learns to use the spoon alone. Remember that this may take a lot of training, and your child may not pick up on it right away. Remember that despite the possible messes from shaky little hands, you promote your child’s independence.

Once your child can grasp a spoon and guide it to their mouth, start introducing finger foods, such as crackers, grapes, and bread. Have your child hold the food, and then help guide it to their mouth.

Manage Nutritional Deficiencies

Ensure your child eats adequate amounts of all the foods to avoid any nutritional deficiencies. Children with feeding difficulties are at risk for malnutrition and deficiencies.

Provide your child with a variety of foods. If they struggle to get enough to eat, try shakes or smoothies that contain nutritional supplements.

Consider Associated Disorders

It’s important to remember that children with cerebral palsy have symptoms and associated disorders that may make feeding times difficult, including:

• Exaggerated bite reflex
• Gag reflex
• Tongue thrusting
• Tactile hypersensitivity

Work with a Team of Professionals

Parents and caregivers must utilize a team of professionals to help with the child’s feeding needs and nutrition.

This should begin with your child’s primary physician and may also include a dietitian, speech-language pathologist, and occupational therapist.

If your child with cerebral palsy struggles to eat, talk to your pediatrician. They can direct you to the right experts and help you develop a solution.

Does My Child Need a Feeding Tube?

A feeding tube helps an individual take in adequate nutrition without chewing and swallowing. Some children with cerebral palsy benefit from a feeding tube because eating is simply too difficult or dangerous.

Your child might also need a feeding tube if they can eat but are unable to eat enough. A feeding tube can supplement their eating, so they get enough calories and nutrients. Consult with your child’s doctor to learn more about feeding tubes and determine if your child is a suitable candidate.