When you bring your new baby home, you are excited to see them reach new milestones. However, if your infant is having difficulty sucking, swallowing, chewing, or coordinating their movements to eat or drink properly, you may feel unsure how to resolve these issues. Early intervention is essential in these cases, as feeding difficulties can impact the child’s development, growth, and quality of life. At Rockland Dental Specialists, we understand the importance of resolving these issues and will work closely with you to find a solution.
If your infant is an extremely picky eater, throwing tantrums, or refusing to eat, they may need treatment from our specialists who always prioritize your child’s well-being. With over 24 years of combined experience, you can trust us to provide the high-quality care your infant deserves and needs to start eating properly. We take a personalized approach, considering your child’s unique needs to create a treatment plan to meet your goals.
7 Signs of Feeding Difficulties in Infants
Getting the proper nutrition is crucial for a healthy, growing infant, which makes feeding difficult during this stage of life. Therefore, if your child is having feeding difficulties, they may not get the necessary nourishment. Some common signs of these issues in infants include the following:
- Refusal to eat
- Cries during feeding
- Frequent vomiting
- Noticeable difficulties with chewing and swallowing
- The inability to hold food or drink in the mouth
- Has gas when feeding
- Takes a long time to eat
If you notice any of these signs of feeding difficulties in your infant, seeking help from our Rockland Dental Specialists can help you understand the cause of these concerns and the treatment options available to improve eating skills.
How a Dentist Can Help Resolve Infant Feeding Difficulties
At Rockland Dental Specialists, we offer unmatched care to patients of all ages, including infants with feeding difficulties. When developing a treatment plan, we consider your child’s unique needs, including sensory and motor issues, to create a feeding therapy strategy, which may include one of the following approaches:
- “Get permission” method: This feeding therapy aims to establish healthy, trust-based dynamics with food by interpreting your child’s signals and advancing as they show readiness to eat. This may go from your infant to observing the food to smelling, touching, tasting, and then eating it.
- Behavioral strategy: This strategy uses a rewards system to encourage your infant to be more open to trying new foods.
- Beckman oral motor technique: This method focuses on correcting motor issues when eating to help improve functional response to pressure, movement, and other sensory input in the mouth. With this technique, your infant may improve the coordination of their lips, cheeks, jaw, and tongue.
Other issues that may cause feeding difficulties include tongue and lip ties, which occur when the thin tissue behind the upper lip, called the frenulum, is too thick or stiff, limiting tongue or lip movement. This issue makes it difficult for your infant to feed and get the proper nutrition. Our trusted specialists can help determine the cause of your infant’s feeding difficulties and the best treatment option based on your goals.
Learn More About How a Dentist Can Help With Your Infant’s Feeding Difficulties at Rockland Dental Specialists
If your infant has difficulty feeding, you may not know who to turn to for help. Fortunately, our professional team at Rockland Dental Specialists is here to provide support and guidance to find the best treatment option for you and your child. We work closely with you to develop a customized plan based on your child’s symptoms so they can start eating with ease.
Our team has over two decades of combined experience providing exceptional services to New City, NY patients. In addition to these services, we provide free insurance verifications and payment plans tailored to your budget. To learn more about feeding therapy and how we can help with your infant’s feeding difficulties, call us at (845) 400-9205 or fill out our contact form.
