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Review
. 2024 Jun 3;50(1):110.
doi: 10.1186/s13052-024-01683-0.

Development of eating skills in infants and toddlers from a neuropediatric perspective

Hermann Kalhoff  1   2 , Mathilde Kersting  3 , Kathrin Sinningen  3 , Thomas Lücke  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Development of eating skills in infants and toddlers from a neuropediatric perspective

Hermann Kalhoff et al. Ital J Pediatr. .

Abstract

Early infant feeding and swallowing are complex motor processes involving numerous muscles in coordination, e.g. the orofacial muscles as well as the muscles of the pharynx, larynx and esophagus. The newborn's reflexive drinking develops into the ability to ingest pureed complementary food as infancy progresses. Finally, in the last part of the first year of life, a differentiated eating, chewing and swallowing process develops allowing the voluntary intake of different foods of the family diet. The dietary schedule for the first year of life, which describes the recommended nutrition of infants in Germany, corresponds to these milestones in eating development. Disturbances in gross motor development, sensory processing issues, and organic and behavioral problems are known to interfere with the development of eating skills. Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) in children can have a detrimental effect on food intake and pose a serious risk to growth and development. Their prevention treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach with the aim of enabling the child to eat independently in the long term.

Keywords: Dysphagia; Eating skills; Feeding disorder; Neuromotor development.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Postnatal development of eating skills
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Early childhood development and nutrition [after 28]
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The feeding schedule for the first year of life
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Development of eating skills into toddlerhood (modified after [32])
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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