Feeding and Oral Motor Milestones

  • Receiving liquids only from bottle or breast
  • Takes 7-8 ounces per feeding in 4-6 feeding per day
  • Coordinated suck/swallow/breathe pattern
  • May have some minor anterior liquid loss during bottle drinking
  • Begins taking pureed solids from a spoon between 4-6 months
  • Takes 6-8 ounces of food OR liquid per feeding, 4-6 times per day
  • Begins to visually recognize the spoon; opens mouth to receive the food and closes lips around the spoon to clear the food
  • May demonstrate some slight tongue protrusion as pureed foods are introduced. Tongue protrusion should disappear within a few weeks
  • May introduce sippy cup
  • Accepts a variety of purees and mashed/ground table foods from a spoon
  • May see occasional gag on new food or texture
  • Can finger feed small pieces of meltable or soft chewable foods
  • Moves tongue laterally to the chewing surfaces to assist with chewing
  • Attempts to take “bites” from stick shaped foods
  • Drinks from a sippy cup
  • Can drink from an open cup with adult assistance and may begin straw drinking.
  • Takes coarsely chopped table foods including easily chewed meats
  • Begins using a spoon/fork with spillage
  • Tolerates a variety of tastes, textures, and temperatures in foods>
  • Uses tongue to move food from center of mouth to sides for chewing
  • Takes independent bites from soft/semi-soft foods
  • Takes liquid primarily from a cup; May continue with bottle or breast at bedtime
  • Continues to accept a wide variety of tastes, textures, and temperatures
  • Takes coarsely chopped table foods including most meats, many raw vegetables, fruits, and grains
  • Drinks safely from an open cup and straw
  • Continues to add a variety of foods to food repertoire.
  • May begin demonstrating stronger food preference between 18-24 months
  • Self feeds using a cup, spoon, fork or fingers
  • Takes appropriately sized bites of foods when presented in larger pieces
  • May begin demonstrating stronger food preference between 18-24 months
  • Minor food “jags” may be observed (strong preference and insistence on a certain food for several meals/days)

Request a Free Screening