Developmental Progression of
Oral Motor & Self-Feeding Skills
Age |
Oral-Motor Skills |
Self-feeding |
Photo |
Birth – 2 months |
Latches onto nipple
Coordinated suck-swallow-breathe pattern during breast/bottle feeds |
|
|
2-4 Months |
|
Begins to put hands on breast/bottle during
feeding |
|
4-6 Months |
Automatic suck becomes more voluntary
Spoon feeding introduced. Sucking pattern used with spoon
Starts to accept pureed baby foods and cereals |
May begin holding own bottle with both hands
Actively participates in meal by opening mouth in anticipation
Cup drinking may be introduced |
|
7-9 Months |
Lip closure around spoon
Can begin to drink from an open cup
Begins to bite soft solid food voluntarily (soft cookie)
Chews food with an up/down motion (munching pattern)
|
Can hold own bottle when drinking
Begins to hold own food and starts to finger feed solids
Uses “raking” or “scooping” motion with fingers to secure pieces of food, usually successful
Begins to use inferior pincer grasp (thumb and side of index finger) to pick up small food items |
|
10-12 Months |
Begins to take controlled bite of soft cookie
Begins to move food from one side of mouth to other (beginning of “rotary” chew pattern) |
Independent finger feeding
Begins to use thumb and tip of index finger (“neat pincer” grasp) to pick up small food items and finger-feed
Holds spoon to play, bang, mouth |
|
13-15 Months |
Starting to close lips while chewing
Learning to make controlled bites on hard cookie |
Dips spoon in food
Brings spoon to mouth, turns spoon over but obtains some food
|
|
16-18 Months |
Improved control of liquid within mouth |
Holds cup and drinks from cup independently |
|
18-24 Months |
Chews food completely with “rotary” jaw movements
Able to chew a wide range of textures |
Uses spoon independently to self-feed
|
|
2 – 3 Years |
Can use tongue to clean lips
Can drink from straw with lips (vs. biting straw while drinking) |
By 30 months, can drink from small open cup using one hand
By 36 months, can use a fork to pierce soft foods and bring to mouth |
|
3-4 Years |
Swallows food in mouth before taking another bite |
Serves self at table (can pour and scoop without spilling)
Holds cup with one hand while holding straw with other hand to drink |
|
4 to 5 Years |
|
Can spread soft substances with a plastic/child-safe knife |
|
5 to 6 Years |
|
Can cut foods with a knife under supervision (dull knife or slightly serrated, not sharp) |
|
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 Years |
|
Can cut with a fork and knife (entire process of holding utensils, controlling and cutting food, and bringing to mouth) |
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References:
https://mamaot.com
https://www.asha.org/Events/convention/handouts/2008/1884_McCarthy_Jessica_L/
https://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/156%20Self-Feeding.pdf