ISSUES RELATED TO FOOD IN A CHILD WITH DS
FOOD TIME STRUGGLE Moms are too much concerned about feeding their children & as this is an universal truth, struggle is an inevitable part regardless of the child being special or typical! But when we are talking about a child with Down Syndrome we need to know few basic reasons for this struggle. Firstly, as I always say rule out any medical cause leading to altered taste, loss of appetite and/or refusal of feed. Look at the reasons other than medical. The child with Down Syndrome has; Smaller oral cavity compared to a typical child of the same age. Shorter & thicker tongue that has less flexibility & space to move. Low muscle tone Poor muscle coordination Poor coordination between the act of push by the tongue & the act of swallowing of the bolus. Delayed & poor dentition (overcrowding & misalignment of teeth) Slower neurotransmission system (The transfer of signal from oral cavity to brain & back from brain to oral cavity) The ab...