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Feeding challenges in infancy can feel overwhelming especially when solids are hard, weight gain is a concern, or oral motor skills seem delayed. In this episode, we respond to a real-life question from a parent about their 10-month-old struggling with solids and tongue movement.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why core and trunk strength impact oral motor development
The importance of ruling out tongue ties, torticollis, or delayed milestones
Play-based strategies to support oral motor skills outside the high chair
Helpful tools like the Z-Vibe, bite blocks, and vibrating teethers
When to seek out additional support from an SLP, IBCLC, or pediatric specialist
Thanks for listening 🩷 Share this episode with a parent or therapist who is supporting an infant with feeding challenges!
If your baby is struggling with solids, losing weight, or resisting oral motor exercises, you’re not alone. Many parents wonder if it’s feeding readiness, a tongue tie, or simply developmental delay.
In this episode, we respond to a parent’s real question about their 10-month-old who can’t lateralize their tongue and is having trouble with solids. You’ll learn why “what happens at the hips affects the lips,” how to build core strength for feeding readiness, and when to seek support from an SLP, IBCLC, or pediatric dentist. We also share our favorite tools and play-based strategies to make feeding practice fun and effective.
Thanks for watching 🩷 Comment below if your child has struggled with feeding - what strategies have helped the most?
We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3
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If your baby is struggling with solids at 10 months old, you're not alone—and thereare supportive, empowering ways to help. Whether you're a parent looking for answers or a professional seeking strategies, understanding how oral motor development connects to overall sensory and physical growth is key.
At 10 months old, babies are typically exploring a variety of solids, starting to chew, and developing the strength and coordination needed for safe, effective feeding. But when oral motor skills aren’t developing as expected, feeding can become a challenge.
Difficulty chewing or moving food around the mouth.
Gagging or coughing on solids.
Open mouth posture or mouth breathing.
Dislike or refusal of oral motor exercises.
Weight loss or difficulty gaining weight.
Diagnosed challenges like tongue tie, torticollis, or low muscle tone.
These signs may indicate that a baby is not yet developmentally ready for solids—or that their oral structures need more targeted support.
One of the most powerful concepts in pediatric occupational therapy is thatpostural stability drives functional mobility. In simpler terms: a strong core is essential for strong oral motor skills.
Babies need good trunk control, head control, and core strength to sit upright and coordinate their mouth muscles during feeding. If these areas are weak, the lips, tongue, and jaw often struggle too.
Key areas to strengthen include:
Trunk and core (belly and back muscles).
Neck and head control.
Shoulder stability.
Use a therapy ball to build core strength while engaging in play.
Incorporate tummy time, crawling, and floor-based movement.
Avoid feeding exclusively in a high chair—try floor play positions where the baby can move freely and engage interactively.
If a baby resists traditional oral motor exercises, it’s time to bring in PLAY. The more joyful and connected the experience, the better the outcomes—especially at this age.
Use songs and silly faces to engage your baby during oral motor input.
Play games with lip movement: kissy lips, blowing raspberries, or “lip stretches”.
Let your baby mouth safe toys, textured chewies, and vibrating teethers.
Introduce different temperatures and textures to stimulate oral sensory input (e.g., chilled teethers, crunchy foods).
OT Tip: Use tools like theZ-Vibe orbite blocks during play to provide preparatory input to the lips, tongue, and cheeks—before feeding begins.
Here are a few favorite tools that support oral motor development in 10-month-olds:
Vibrating oral motor tool that can be used by a caregiver or baby
Great for stimulating the lips, tongue, and cheeks before feeding
Silicone tools of varying sizes that help babies practice sustained biting and jaw stability
Can be used daily to improve lip closure and chewing skills
Silicone chewing device that encourages lip closure and chewing
Used to strengthen oral structures and promote good jaw development
These common teethers activate when bitten, giving instant sensory feedback
Available at most baby stores or online
Provides gentle tactile input inside the mouth
Can also help with desensitization if a baby is sensitive to oral input
Consider consulting:
A pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP) trained in feeding.
An International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) to rule out functional tongue ties.
A pediatric dentist experienced with tethered oral tissues.
A medical provider to recommend a swallow study if aspiration is a concern.
If your child is already in occupational therapy and still struggling, it might be time to build a collaborative care team. A skilled SLP can offer additional strategies tailored to oral motor coordination and swallowing.
A baby who isn’t ready for solids at 10 months may need more than just oral motor exercises—they may need trunk strengthening, sensory input, and developmental support.
Oral motor development should be playful, relational, and rooted in movement—not forced.
Look at the big picture: Is there a tongue tie? Low muscle tone? Lack of crawling or postural control?
There areeffective, gentle tools and evidence-based strategies that can help.
If your infant is struggling with feeding—whether they're 6 months, 10 months, or even closer to a year—please know you're not alone. Feeding and oral motor development vary widely from child to child, and there is no one "perfect" timeline.
The key is to tune in to your child's needs, support them with loving, playful connection, and reach out for help when needed. Small, consistent steps in building trunk strength, exploring oral play, and using the right tools can lead to meaningful progress.
BORING, BUT NECESSARY LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
While we make every effort to share correct information, we are still learning. We will double check all of our facts but realize that medicine is a constantly changing science & art. One doctor / therapist may have a different way of doing things from another. We are simply presenting our views & opinions on how to address common sensory challenges, health related difficulties & what we have found to be beneficial that will be as evidenced based as possible. By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or your children. Consult your child’s pediatrician/ therapist for any medical issues that he or she may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Rachel Harrington, Harkla, Jessica Hill, or any guests or contributors to the podcast, as well as any employees, associates, or affiliates of Harkla, be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast.
Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links & make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews & comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair & balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
This podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast.
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