Some of the most common issues experienced by babies and toddlers with CP involve eating and drinking. This is because CP can affect the strength, movement, coordination, contractions and sensations of the muscles of the mouth, tongue, face and throat.

This can make it hard for babies and toddlers to suck, bite, chew and swallow food, fluid and saliva.

When you’re feeding your child, it’s important that you regularly check they aren’t having any problems when they eat or drink, because breathing issues (from food going down the wrong way) can sometimes happen, resulting in chest infections. It may also be hard for you to know whether your child is getting enough nutrition.

If you notice your child is having trouble swallowing, seek advice from your child’s healthcare team as soon as possible.

Early healthcare intervention for your child with eating and drinking difficulties is important for their health and wellbeing. It also means that any developmental challenges can be addressed to help your child thrive.

There’s a lot you can do to make sure your child is swallowing safely and getting the food they need. Your child’s healthcare team will help explain what is happening for your child, how you can help, and what other therapies may be needed, such as dietetics or speech therapy.

Improving your child’s feeding routine may also improve their sleep routine.

You can find out more about eating, drinking and swallowing in the links below, where you will find information about a speech therapist’s perspective on feeding children with CP, gastrostomy feeding for children with CP, saliva control, and fact sheets about dysphagia and how to puree foods to help with digestion.