Feeding Issues

Can Reflex Integration Help Eating and Breastfeeding Issues?

Many infants and children who exhibit feeding difficulties have underlying motor deficits and sensory issues. These issues can make the actions of chewing, swallowing, or sucking inefficient, laborious, or uncomfortable. For example, the smell of food, or the sensations involved in chewing can feel unpleasant. Newborns may have difficulty latching and breastfeeding. Older children may exhibit food aversion and picky eating. Numerous primitive reflexes provide the foundations for oral-motor function and sensory development and are important for the ability to comfortably consume food across the lifespan. Integrating primitive reflexes may be exceptionally helpful in addressing a variety of feeding challenges, including avoidant/restrictive food intake disorders (ARFID).