• Chandigarh | Mohali | Patiala
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Feeding Therapy for Autism – Supporting Eating and Speech Development Together

Overcoming Oral Sensory Challenges, Picky Eating, and Speech Delays in Children with Autism

Oral feeding and speech development are closely linked because they share the same oral motor structures (lips, tongue, jaw, palate) and neurological pathways. Many parents searching for speech therapy are actually observing symptoms rooted in oral motor or sensory feeding issues — and vice versa.

To make your Feeding Therapy page more discoverable under speech therapy searches, we can:

  • Strategically mention “speech therapy” and “speech development” throughout the content.
  • Clearly explain the connection between feeding skills and speech skills.
  • Optimize keywords so that the page ranks for both speech and feeding therapy.
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How Feeding Therapy Supports Speech Development in Autism

Speech and Feeding Share the Same Muscles and Movements

 Feeding and speech both require:

  • Lip closure (to drink from a straw or pronounce “p,” “m,” “b”)
  • Tongue elevation and movement (to chew food or make “l,” “t,” “d,” and “r” sounds)
  • Jaw stability and grading (to manage textured foods and control sound clarity)
  • Breath control and coordination (to chew/swallow safely and produce speech)

If your child has poor oral motor control that affects feeding, it may also impact their ability to produce speech sounds clearly, initiate speech, or develop language naturally.
 That’s why feeding therapy is an essential foundation for speech therapy in many autistic children — especially if they are non-verbal, have unclear speech, or oral motor delays.

Common Feeding Challenges in Children with Autism

Children with autism often struggle with:

1

Picky eating

Only eating dry, crunchy, or white foods
2

Food aversions

Gagging or refusing foods due to smell, texture, or appearance
3

Chewing difficulties

Poor tongue coordination, overstuffing, or pocketing food
4

Oral sensory sensitivities

Hypersensitive or hyposensitive to food in the mouth
5

Olfactory sensitivities

Refusal of foods based on smell
6

Aoral dyspraxia

Difficulty planning and coordinating oral motor movements
7

Delayed self-feeding skills

Trouble using utensils or transitioning from purees

These issues not only impact nutrition and growth but also oral-motor development, which is essential for speech clarity.

How Our Feeding Therapy Helps with Both Eating and Speaking

We combine feeding therapy, oral motor therapy, and speech-language development techniques in one integrated approach.

Our therapy focuses on:

1

Oral Motor Skill Development

Using techniques from Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) and Beckman Oral Motor Protocol, we strengthen the lips, tongue, and jaw to support both eating skills and speech clarity.
2

Sensory Integration for Feeding and Speech

We address oral and olfactory sensory sensitivities that can cause children to reject both food and oral activities like toothbrushing or speaking certain sounds.
3

Chewing difficulties

As your child becomes comfortable with new food textures, we also introduce speech sound stimulation and verbal routines to promote spontaneous language.
4

AAC & Communication Support

For non-verbal children, we use Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and AAC tools to ensure that communication development happens while we work on feeding and oral skills.

Speech Goals We Address Through Feeding Therapy

Even if the primary goal is feeding, our therapy also supports:

  • Improved articulation and sound clarity
  • Development of oral-motor control for speech
  • Better breath support for speech production
  • Earlier onset of verbal communication
  • Reduced frustration due to improved communication skills

Parent Support and At-Home Strategies

We empower parents with:

  • Easy oral motor exercises to practice at home
  • Tips to expand food acceptance without force
  • Mealtime structure for reducing anxiety
  • Activities that support both feeding and speech goals together