Circumoral movements in response to three different food textures in children 6 months to 2 years of age.

The purpose of this study was to establish an objective description of circumoral behavior in normal children during the oral phase of ingestion. The response to three different food textures--solid, viscous, and puree--was examined in 143 healthy children aged 6 months to 2 years. Feeding sessions were videotaped and data analyzed using criteria for describing circumoral structures during anticipation of food, removal of food from a spoon, as well as the initiation of chewing and swallowing. As children get older their feeding behaviors mature, which is characterized by better lip control, increased mobility of the tongue, and decreased involvement of the circumoral structures in swallowing. These data are intended for clinicians who evaluate young children with feeding impairments in order to determine children's functional age level.