Swallowing disorders and difficulties in children in Abu Dhabi
Evaluation of eating and swallowing difficulties at AHLI Specialists Medical Center - Al Shamkha
Does your child cough or choke while eating or drinking?
Does he take too long to eat a meal?
Does he refuse certain foods or textures, such as pureed or solid food?
Does he keep food in his mouth and does not swallow it easily?
Do you feel that mealtime has become a daily source of worry and stress for the family?
Swallowing disorders and difficulties in children may affect eating, drinking, chewing, growth, comfort, and the child’s safety during meals. The problem may appear clearly, such as coughing and choking, or indirectly, such as refusal of food, difficulty chewing, storing food inside the cheeks, or rapid fatigue during feeding or eating.
At AHLI Specialists Medical Center in Al Shamkha - Abu Dhabi, we provide a specialized evaluation of eating and swallowing difficulties in children, within speech and language therapy services, with an appropriate guidance or treatment plan according to the child’s condition, and in cooperation with other medical specialties when needed.
What are swallowing disorders and difficulties?
Swallowing disorders, or swallowing difficulties, mean there is a problem with one or more of the stages of eating or drinking — accepting food, chewing, controlling food inside the mouth, moving food backwards, or swallowing food and liquids safely.
Swallowing is a complex process that requires coordination between the mouth, tongue, jaw, throat, breathing, and senses. Swallowing difficulties do not always mean a serious problem, but they need to be evaluated if they are frequent or affect the child's growth, safety, or comfort.
The difference between swallowing difficulties and eating difficulties
Many parents use the term "not eating well" to describe different problems — but there is an important difference:
Swallowing difficulties
It is related to the way food or drink moves from the mouth to the throat and esophagus — coughing, choking, a wet voice, difficulty chewing, food remaining in the mouth.
Eating difficulties
Food refusal, extreme selectivity, rejection of textures, fear of trying new foods, or difficulty sitting at the table.
Dietary selectivity
The child rejects certain types or prefers a limited variety — which may be related to sensory or behavioral factors or previous experiences.
Evaluation helps to know the real reason instead of treating all cases as “stubbornness” or “indulgence.”
Signs of swallowing disorders and difficulties in children
Your child may need evaluation if you notice one or more of the following signs:
Repeated coughing or choking while eating and drinking requires attention and evaluation.
When does swallowing difficulty require rapid evaluation?
A prompt medical evaluation should be sought if the child suffers from:
- ⚠Severe choking while eating or drinking
- ⚠Difficulty breathing during or after a meal
- ⚠Change in color of the face or lips while swallowing
- ⚠Strong and frequent coughing with liquids or food
- ⚠A wet or clear gurgling sound after eating
- ⚠Recurrent chest infections with eating difficulties
- ⚠Weight loss or apparent weakness in growth
- ⚠Signs of dehydration or lack of fluid intake
In these cases, the child may need a medical evaluation before or simultaneously with a swallowing evaluation — the child's safety is the priority.
Causes of swallowing disorders and difficulties in children
Swallowing difficulties may occur for various reasons — one cause or a combination of factors:
- ● Poor chewing skills
- ● Poor control of the tongue, lips, or jaw
- ● Difficulty coordinating sucking, chewing, or swallowing
- ● Delay in oral motor skills
- ● Excessive sensitivity to textures or smells
- ● Reflux or digestive problems
- ● Respiratory problems or frequent infections
- ● Developmental delay or neurological difficulties
- ● History of premature birth or breastfeeding difficulties
- ● Sensory difficulties related to eating
- ● Medical conditions that require follow-up by a doctor
The goal of the assessment is to understand the cause of the difficulty and develop a safe and appropriate plan.
How do swallowing difficulties affect the child and the family?
Swallowing difficulties may affect a child's daily life more than parents expect:
Nutrition and growth
If a child does not eat enough or rejects many types, it may affect growth and energy.
Comfort the child
Fear or nervousness around mealtime, especially after previous choking or vomiting.
Child behavior
Rejection, crying, running away from the table — an expression of real difficulty.
Family
Meal time becomes stressful, full of anxiety and stress.
Social sharing
Avoid eating at nursery, school or events.
Evaluation and treatment help turn mealtime into a safer, calmer experience.
How are swallowing difficulties assessed?
The assessment begins with a thorough understanding of the child's history, eating and drinking, then observing skills in a safe and comfortable way.
- ✓ Asking the parents about the history of breastfeeding and eating
- ✓ Identify foods and liquids that cause difficulty
- ✓ Observe the child’s position while eating
- ✓ Evaluate the movement of the tongue, lips and jaw
- ✓ Evaluation of chewing and food control skills
- ✓ Note the method of swallowing at safe consistency
- ✓ Evaluate the presence of a cough, voice change, or fatigue
- ✓ Notice sensitivity to texture or smell
- ✓ Know the effect of the problem on weight and growth
- ✓ Determine the need for medical, nutritional, or occupational therapy referral
- ✓ Develop a guidance or treatment plan according to the case
What happens after a swallowing evaluation?
After the evaluation, the results are clearly explained to the parents and the nature of the difficulty is determined:
- ? Is the problem with chewing?
- ? Is the problem in controlling food inside the mouth?
- ? Does the child reject textures due to sensory sensitivity?
- ? Are there signs that require a medical evaluation?
- ? Does the child need a swallowing, occupational or feeding therapy plan?
- ? What textures are currently safe and appropriate?
The goal is for parents to come up with a clear, safe, and practical plan.
How does speech therapy help with swallowing difficulties?
A speech-language pathologist may help support eating and swallowing skills when difficulty is related to mouth movement, chewing, food control, or swallowing coordination.
- ● Improving the child’s position while eating
- ● Gradually train chewing skills
- ● Improve the movement of the tongue, lips and jaw
- ● Support food control inside the mouth
- ● Reduce food storage in the cheeks
- ● Introduce textures in a gradual and safe manner
- ● Reduce stress around meal time
- ● Training parents on the appropriate feeding method
- ● Collaborate with a doctor, nutritionist or occupational therapist
Treatment does not depend on forcing the child to eat, but rather on understanding the reason and building skills step by step.
Treating chewing difficulties in children
Chewing is a skill that develops gradually. Some babies swallow food without chewing enough or refuse solid food.
- ● Swallow pieces of food quickly without chewing
- ● Food stays in the mouth for a long time
- ● Storing food in the cheeks
- ● Refuse meat, vegetables or solid foods
- ● Relying on puree for a long time
- ● Tiring quickly during a meal
The treatment helps develop jaw and tongue movement and a gradual progression of posture.
Swallowing difficulties and different textures
Some children struggle with only certain textures:
- ● Light liquids
- ● Mashed and mashed food with pieces
- ● Hard and crunchy food
- ● Sticky and mixed food
It is not recommended to force a child to a certain consistency without evaluation, especially if there is coughing or choking.
Swallowing difficulties in infants
- ● Difficulty or fatigue while breastfeeding
- ● Coughing or choking while breastfeeding
- ● Milk leakage from the mouth
- ● Breastfeeding takes a long time
- ● Poor weight gain
- ● Repeated regurgitation or vomiting
- ● Difficulty transitioning to pureed food
These signs require appropriate evaluation if they affect weight, breathing, or rest.
Are swallowing difficulties related to sensory sensitivity?
In some cases, yes. Some children refuse food because its texture, smell, or appearance causes extreme discomfort.
The child may need cooperation between speech therapy and occupational therapy.
The role of parents in treating swallowing difficulties
Meals occur daily at home — the child needs a safe and quiet environment.
- ✓ Monitor foods that cause coughing or difficulty
- ✓ Recording accepted and rejected textures
- ✓ Do not force the child to eat forcefully
- ✓ Avoid serving large or fast bites
- ✓ Give the child enough time to chew and swallow
- ✓ Reduce distractions during the meal
- ✓ Make the sitting position stable and comfortable
- ✓ Praise small attempts
- ✓ Adhere to the specialist’s instructions
Safety is more important than speed — the goal is for the child to eat in a comfortable and safe way.
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✗ Forcing the child to swallow a morsel he cannot handle
- ✗ Introduce solid foods before chewing skills are ready
- ✗ Ignore frequent coughing while drinking
- ✗ Considering every refusal of food as “stubbornness.”
- ✗ Comparing the child with his siblings or peers
- ✗ Prolong the meal for hours
- ✗ Change the consistency of food or liquids without evaluation
- ✗ Postponing evaluation despite the presence of asphyxia or poor growth
Does the child need other specializations?
The child may need cooperation between several specialties:
This cooperation helps to understand the problem and develop a safe and comprehensive plan.
Swallowing disorders and difficulties in Al Shamkha - Abu Dhabi
If you are looking for an evaluation of swallowing difficulties for children in Abu Dhabi or treatment for eating and swallowing difficulties in Al Shamkha, AHLI Specialists Medical Center provides a specialized evaluation.
We help parents understand the causes of coughing, difficulty chewing, rejection of textures, and storing food in the mouth.
Why choose AHLI Specialists Medical Center?
Specialized evaluation
For difficulties in swallowing and eating in children.
Comprehensive understanding
For chewing, swallowing, food control, and texture skills.
Individual plan
Depending on the child's age and condition.
Instructions for parents
Practical steps during meals.
Multiple collaborations
With occupational therapy and medical specialties.
Convenient Al Shamkha Location
Close to Baniyas, Al Falah and Shakhbout.
Services related to swallowing difficulties
When should I book an appointment for my child?
Book an evaluation if your child has coughing while eating, frequent choking, difficulty chewing, extreme rejection of textures, storing food in the mouth, or a wet voice after drinking.
If there is difficulty breathing, cyanosis, severe choking, weight loss, or frequent chest infections — medical evaluation should be sought urgently.
The first step is to understand why, then determine the appropriate plan.
Book a review nowBook an evaluation for swallowing disorders and difficulties
If you notice that your child is having difficulty eating, chewing, drinking, or swallowing, we can help you with a professional evaluation.
AHLI Specialists Medical Center - Al Shamkha, Abu Dhabi
Al Qayed Street, Al Shamkha, Abu Dhabi
Frequently asked questions
What are swallowing disorders in children?
Is coughing while drinking a serious sign?
Does food refusal mean a swallowing disorder?
What is the difference between pickiness and difficulty swallowing?
Does a speech pathologist treat swallowing difficulties?
Does the child need a medical examination before swallowing treatment?
Can chewing difficulties be treated?
Do swallowing difficulties affect weight?
Is it possible to treat at home only?
How many sessions does a child need?
Our specialists
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