Following your child’s lead: A playful path to AAC success

ByLondon Speech and Feeding August 27, 2024August 23, 2024

Unlocking playtime: A guide to child-led learning

Does your child struggle to focus on toys or activities? Do they dart away as soon as you approach? You’re not alone!

The key to unlocking your child’s potential lies in following their lead. Let them guide the play session, and watch their engagement and focus soar.

Why Child-Led Play Works:

Empowerment: Children feel in control, sparking their curiosity and motivation.
Focused attention: They’ll stay engaged with activities for longer periods.
Reduced frustration: By stepping back and observing, you eliminate the pressure and stress that often comes with directed play.

How to Implement Child-Led Play:

Prepare the environment: Set out a limited selection of engaging toys.
Observe and wait: Sit back, watch, and listen to your child’s interests.
Embrace the moment: Resist the urge to direct or question; simply enjoy the process.

Remember: This simple approach can transform playtime and support your child’s development. Give it a try for a week and see the difference!

#OWLing #hanenmorethanwords

Observe, Wait, Listen. It’s a powerful formula for unlocking your child’s potential.

You will likely see:

Your child will stay put with any toy for longer whilst you are near them.
Your child will tolerate you being nearby and he/she won’t move away.
Your child will start giving you brief glances of enjoyment, or perhaps they will hand things to you, or they might take your hand and lead it to something that needs opening etc.
In other words, you will see that there suddenly is JOINT PLAY. Yes, granted it may not be according to your adult agenda, but there will be more togetherness than there was before. And this is the START of communication and social engagement.

USE Core words and a coreboard — to help your child understand the power of words

Core words are the building blocks of communication. Try using a coreboard like the one below, they are versatile and can be used in countless ways. By modelling these words naturally during play, you expose your child to their meaning and function in context. This approach is far more effective than isolated drill and practice, more powerful than flashcards!

Using AAC coreboard — Photo by lemonlenz

A Winning Combination

Combining child-led play and AAC modelling creates a magic effect. To summarise:

Increased engagement: When you follow your child’s lead, they are more likely to be engaged and receptive to learning. This creates optimal conditions for introducing AAC core words.
Natural learning: By modelling AAC core words in the context of play, you help your child understand their meaning and purpose naturally. This fosters generalisation and spontaneous use.
Building relationships: Shared play experiences strengthen the bond between you and your child. This trust and connection are essential for successful communication.
Reduced pressure: Modelling AAC core words without expectation removes the pressure to produce language. This allows your child to explore communication at their own pace.
Expanded vocabulary: As your child becomes more comfortable with AAC, they will begin to incorporate core words into their own communication. This leads to vocabulary growth and increased independence.

Practical Tips

Observe and respond: Pay close attention to your child’s interests and actions. Respond to their cues with enthusiasm and support.
Keep it simple: Start with a few core words and gradually introduce new ones as your child’s skills develop.
Be patient: Language learning takes time. Celebrate small successes and avoid frustration.
Have fun: Remember, play is supposed to be enjoyable for both you and your child. Relax and have fun together!

Example:

Let’s say your child is playing with a pop-up toy like you see me do in the above photograph. Here, I followed my child’s lead by waiting to see what she wanted to do with the toy. You are now OWLING! (Observe Wait and Listen)

Once I noticed that there was repetitive opening of the flaps going on I then pointed to OPEN and MORE on the board, as I said: ‘let’s OPEN this one’ / let’s see MORE animals’ / ‘MORE cow! it says moo!’ ‘OPEN another one’ and so on.

Important to know, we are not expecting our child to respond verbally or with AAC, but we are providing language input and demonstrating how these words can be used with enthusiasm.

Naturally in time your child will look at the board and at your pointing and they will eventually want to copy you!

By incorporating these strategies into your daily interactions, you can create a supportive environment that fosters language development and communication growth. If you would like more guidance please get in touch and book in for a consultation, some individual therapy and/ or some parent coaching.

I look forward to supporting you. Please contact me and let’s see how.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

The quiet power: Why silence and responsiveness boost communication in children with delays
ByLondon Speech and Feeding June 9, 2025June 9, 2025
Supplied by Sonja McGeachie, Practice Owner

As parents and caregivers, our natural instinct when interacting with a child, especially one who struggles with communication, is often to fill every silence. We might ask lots of questions, offer constant commentary, or try to prompt him or her to speak. Our hearts are in the right place. We want to help him or her communicate! However, for children with language delays or those on the autism spectrum, this well-intentioned approach can sometimes inadvertently create more pressure and fewer opportunities for them to truly initiate and develop their own communication skills.

What if I told you that one of the most powerful tools in your communication toolkit is often silence? And that responding to your child, rather than always initiating, can unlock incredible potential?

Let’s explore why these seemingly simple strategies are so profoundly beneficial.

The unspoken benefits of silence

In our fast-paced world, silence can feel awkward, but for a child who is processing language differently, it’s a gift:
1. Time to process: Children with language delays often need more time to process what they hear and to formulate their own thoughts or responses. When we bombard them with words, we don’t give their brains the crucial milliseconds they need to catch up. A pause of 5–10 seconds can make all the difference.
2. Reduces pressure: Constant questioning or prompting can feel like a test. Silence removes this pressure, creating a more relaxed environment where the child feels safe to communicate without fear of being ‘wrong’ or rushed.
3. Creates opportunity to initiate: If you’re always talking, when does your child get a turn to start the conversation? Silence opens up a space for him or her to initiate, whether it’s through a sound, a gesture, eye contact, or a word. This is vital for developing spontaneous communication.
4. Encourages independent thinking: When a child is given space, he or she is more likely to try to figure things out himself or herself. This fosters problem-solving skills and reduces reliance on adult prompts.
5. Prevents overwhelm (especially for ASD): Many children on the autism spectrum can be sensitive to auditory input. A constant stream of language can be overwhelming, leading to withdrawal or challenging behaviours. Strategic pauses can help them regulate and engage more effectively.
The power of responding (not just initiating)

Think of a tennis match: if only one person serves, it’s not a game. Communication is a rally, a back-and-forth exchange. When you primarily respond to your child’s communication attempts, you’re teaching him or her the rhythm of conversation:
1. Follow the child’s lead: This is a cornerstone of effective language intervention, famously championed by programs like Hanen’s ‘It Takes Two to Talk’. When you respond to what your child is already interested in or doing, the interaction becomes immediately relevant and motivating for him or her.
2. Validates his or her attempts: Every sound, gesture, glance, or partial word your child offers is a communication attempt. By responding to it, you’re telling him or her, ‘I see you. I hear you. Your communication matters.’ This builds immense confidence and encourages him or her to try again.
3. Builds confidence and motivation: When a child feels understood and successful in his or her communication, he or she are more likely to communicate more often. It’s a positive feedback loop.
4. Teaches turn-taking naturally: By taking your turn after his or hers, you model the natural flow of conversation. He or she learns that communication is a shared activity, not a one-sided lecture.
5. Makes interactions meaningful: When you respond to his or her interests, you’re talking about things that are inherently motivating to him or her. This makes the language you use more easily understood and remembered.
Practical strategies for parents: Observe, Wait, Listen (OWL)

The Hanen Centre’s ‘Observe, Wait, Listen’ (OWL) strategy perfectly encapsulates these principles:
- Observe: Watch your child closely. What is he or she looking at? What is he or she doing? What sounds is he or she making? What gestures is he or she using?
- Wait: After you’ve observed, wait. Give him or her time. Resist the urge to jump in with a question or comment immediately. Count to five (or even ten) in your head. This silence is an invitation for him or her to communicate.
- Listen: When he or she does communicate (in any way!), listen intently. Try to understand his or her message or intent.
Beyond OWL – More tips:
- Reduce questions, increase comments: Instead of ‘What’s that?’ try ‘Oh, a big red ball!’ or ‘The car is going fast!’ Comments provide language models without demanding a verbal response.
- Expand, don’t just prompt: If your child says ‘Car’, you could respond with ‘Yes, That’s a big car!’ or ‘It’s really fast!’ You’re building on his or her communication with a slightly richer language model.
- Create opportunities for communication: Place desired items slightly out of reach. This creates a natural reason for your child to communicate his or her wants (e.g., reaching, pointing, vocalising).
- Respond to all communication: Don’t just wait for words. If your child points, look where he or she is pointing and comment. If he or she makes a sound, imitate it or respond with a related word.
In summary

Embracing silence and prioritising responsiveness might feel counterintuitive at first, especially when you’re eager for your child to talk. However, these powerful strategies create a nurturing, low-pressure environment that encourages spontaneous communication, builds confidence, and truly meets your child where he or she is. By giving your child the space and the meaningful responses he or she needs, you’re laying a strong foundation for his or her communication journey.

Try incorporating these ‘quiet powers’ into your daily interactions and watch your child’s communication blossom.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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READ MORE The quiet power: Why silence and responsiveness boost communication in children with delays
Ages and Stages · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

My child is hard to understand at school age. Should I be concerned?
ByLondon Speech and Feeding March 30, 2026March 25, 2026
Many parents notice speech errors when their children are toddlers. At that stage it often feels quite normal. Young children are still learning the sounds of their language, and those early mispronunciations can be very endearing.

But as children grow older, parents sometimes begin to wonder:

‘Should my child still be speaking like this?’

A common concern I hear from families is that their child is still difficult to understand even after starting school. Sometimes it is a parent who notices it first. Other times it is a teacher who gently mentions that classmates occasionally struggle to understand what a child is saying.

When this happens, parents naturally wonder whether it is something their child will grow out of, or whether some extra support might help.

When should children’s speech be clear?

Children learn speech sounds gradually over several years. Some sounds develop earlier, while others take longer to master.

By the time children reach five to six years of age, most of their speech should be clear enough for unfamiliar adults to understand. There may still be a few tricky sounds developing (such as /R/ or /TH/), but overall speech should be fairly easy to follow.

If a child is frequently difficult to understand at school age, it can sometimes indicate that a speech sound difficulty has persisted beyond the stage when it would normally resolve on its own.

Why some children remain hard to understand

There are several reasons why speech clarity may still be developing in older children.

Phonological patterns

Some children continue to use speech patterns that are typical of younger children. For example:
- saying ‘tat’ instead of ‘cat’
- saying ‘doe’ instead of ‘go’
- leaving sounds out of words
These patterns are called phonological processes. They are a normal part of early speech development, but when they persist into the school years they can make speech difficult for others to understand.

Difficulty producing specific sounds

Other children may have difficulty producing certain individual sounds clearly. This might include sounds such as:
- /S/
- /SH/
- /R/
- /TH/
These difficulties are called articulation difficulties.

A child might understand exactly what they want to say but find it hard to produce the sound accurately with their tongue, lips or airflow.

Motor speech planning challenges

For some children, the difficulty lies in the planning and coordination of the movements needed for speech.

Speech requires very precise timing between the tongue, lips, jaw and breath. If the brain finds it difficult to organise these movements consistently, speech can sound unclear or inconsistent.

In some cases this may relate to Childhood Apraxia of Speech, although only a full assessment can determine this.

Why clarity matters for school-age children

Speech clarity becomes particularly important once children start school.

At this stage, children are:
- Answering questions in class
- Talking with friends
- Reading aloud
- Developing confidence in communication
When speech is difficult to understand, children sometimes become more hesitant to speak, particularly in group situations.

This can affect confidence and participation, even when the child has lots of ideas they would like to share.

The good news: speech can improve

The encouraging news is that speech sound difficulties can often improve significantly with the right support.

Speech therapy focuses on helping children:
- Learn how sounds are produced
- Practise accurate speech movements
- Understand how sounds change meaning in words
- Build consistency through structured practice
Different children benefit from different therapy approaches. Some need support with phonological patterns, while others benefit from more motor-based practice that strengthens speech coordination.

Often therapy combines several strategies to support the child’s individual speech profile.

When to seek advice

If your child is already at school and you find that people outside the family often struggle to understand them, it can be helpful to seek advice from a speech and language therapist.

A detailed assessment can help identify:
- Which sounds are causing difficulty
- Whether patterns such as fronting or sound substitutions are present
- Whether motor planning challenges may be contributing
- Which therapy approach is likely to be most effective
Early support can help children develop clearer speech and greater confidence in communication.

Every child’s speech journey is different

Speech development is not the same for every child. Some children master speech sounds quickly, while others need a little more guidance along the way.

The important thing is that support is available when children need it.

With the right strategies and practice, many children make excellent progress and develop speech that is clearer, more confident and easier for others to understand. If you are concerned about your child’s speech clarity or ongoing speech sound errors, a speech and language assessment can help identify the underlying difficulty and guide the most appropriate support.

Feel free to contact me on my contact page.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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READ MORE My child is hard to understand at school age. Should I be concerned?
Speech and Language Therapy

One book, dozens of therapy opportunities: What speech therapy really looks like
ByLondon Speech and Feeding May 13, 2026May 18, 2026
As speech and language therapists, some of the most effective moments in therapy don’t come from flashcards, worksheets, or even drilling sounds (though to be fair I do drill quite a lot too! needs must…😊).

By and large they happen in natural interaction — during shared attention, laughter, storytelling, and connection.

This short video clip captures that.

In under two minutes, while simply reading a book together with a three-year-old child, we naturally work on:
- Speech sounds
- Vowel production
- Early phonological patterns
- Motor planning
- Signing and total communication
- Visual cueing
- Repetition and practice
- Confidence building
- And engagement through play
To many people, it may just look like ‘reading a book’.

But underneath that moment are years of specialist training, clinical decision-making, preparation, and therapeutic skill.

Therapy hidden inside play

One of the most important parts of paediatric speech therapy is knowing how to embed targets into meaningful interaction.

Books are one of my favourite therapy tools! Why: because as speech therapists we need to prepare for our child and our sessions. And having a book gives me the structure to know beforehand what kind of sounds or words might be coming up. Then I can be prepared for providing extra support for them. As you can see in this clip, I had the sound cards just there because I had anticipated what might be coming up!

A single story can provide opportunities for:
- Speech sound practice
- Vocabulary development
- Sentence building
- Turn-taking
- Symbolic understanding
- Attention and listening
- Gesture and signing
- Motor speech cueing
- And social communication
In this clip, I follow my little one’s interests while carefully weaving in her individual therapy targets.

It looks relaxed and spontaneous — and it is — but it is also highly intentional.

Catching opportunities in the moment

One lovely example in the clip is when she says ‘yes’.

She is now starting to say the final /S/ sound, so I immediately model and draw attention to it using the ‘snake sound’ visual cue, giving her positive feedback that she can now also try using this sound at the start of words.

My gently shaping the word ‘yeSSSS.’ gives her:
- Auditory feedback
- Visual support
- And an achievable opportunity to try again
A few seconds later, we naturally practise it again.

That’s responsive therapy.

Speech therapists are constantly listening, analysing, adapting, and deciding:
- When should I model?
- When should I pause?
- When should I repeat?
- When should I let it go?
- How can I keep confidence high while still targeting speech?
These decisions happen in seconds.

Working on speech without ‘stopping the play’

Another moment in the clip focuses on the word ‘out’, where the vowel sound is one of her speech targets.

Then we move into practising the word ‘open’, a word she has previously found difficult.

Within this one word, we can support:
- Sequencing
- Motor planning
- Lip shape
- Vowel production
- And speech sound accuracy
We also briefly practise the /K/ sound — a sound produced at the back of the mouth which can be particularly tricky to produce.

Instead of explaining it verbally (which is often too abstract for young children), I use:
- Visual demonstration
- Exaggerated mouth movements
- Gesture/sign support
- And playful modelling
Children learn through seeing, hearing, doing, and experiencing.

That is why Speech Therapists use multiple layers of cueing simultaneously.

Why I use signs alongside speech

Throughout the clip, I also use signs such as ‘book’ and ‘pig’.

Using signs does not stop children talking.

In fact, for many children, signs:
- Reduce frustration
- Support understanding
- Increase participation
- Reinforce vocabulary
- And help bridge the gap while speech is developing
Communication always comes first.

Speech is only one part of communication.

When children feel successful communicating, they are far more likely to keep trying.

The skill behind ‘natural’ therapy

One thing I often hear from parents is:

‘You make it look so easy.’

That is actually one of the biggest compliments a therapist can receive. (Though we also often feel we need to justify our very existence with these thoughts because we don’t just play/just read but we know it can look like that!) 😊 this is the reason for this blog…

High-quality paediatric therapy should feel warm, playful, responsive, and natural.

But underneath that natural interaction is:
- Clinical knowledge
- Phonological analysis
- Motor speech understanding
- Language development expertise
- Sensory awareness
- Relationship-building
- And careful session planning
Before this session even began, I already knew:
- Which speech patterns to target
- Which words would likely appear in the book
- What visual cues might help
- Which signs to model
- And how to adapt depending on the child’s responses
That preparation allows therapy to stay child-led without losing therapeutic focus.

Following the child while leading the therapy

The best therapy is rarely rigid.

Children do not learn communication through pressure or endless correction. They learn through interaction.

That is exactly what this short clip demonstrates.

One book.
One conversation.
Hundreds of tiny therapeutic decisions.

And all within a joyful moment shared together.

Because good speech therapy should never feel like hard work for a child.

It should feel like connection, confidence, success — and fun.

If you’re concerned about your child’s speech and language or wondering whether they might benefit from speech therapy, feel free to get in touch.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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READ MORE One book, dozens of therapy opportunities: What speech therapy really looks like
Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Seeing sounds: How visual gestures boost speech sound learning
ByLondon Speech and Feeding June 18, 2025June 18, 2025
Learning to produce new speech sounds can be a complex process for young children, especially those facing challenges with speech sound disorders or motor planning difficulties. It’s not just about knowing what a sound ‘should’ sound like; it’s about figuring out where to put your tongue, how to shape your lips, and how much air to push out. This is where the power of visual gestures comes in – literally helping children see how to make sounds.

As speech and language therapists, we frequently use visual cues and hand gestures to teach articulation. These techniques are incredibly effective, particularly when a child is struggling with the motor planning aspect of speech production.

In the video clip above you see me teaching
- the /SH/ sound: the hand makes a C-shape and moves forward showing both how the lips are positioned and the air flowing forward
- the /S/ sound: the index finger shows a snake like movement going forward- also showing the air flow again
- the /W/ sound: my right hand moves forward and fingers splay out showing that the lips open up at the end of the sound
- the /K/ sound: my finger points to the back of my throat where the tongue needs to raise.
An overview of motor planning for speech – what do we mean by that?

Think about learning to ride a bike or play a musical instrument. You don’t just know how to do it instantly. You have to plan the movements, practise them, and make adjustments. Speaking is similar! Our brains must:
1. Plan the sequence of movements needed for each sound and word (e.g., /B/ requires lips together, then release, while /T/ requires the tongue tip behind the top teeth, then release).
2. Execute those plans rapidly and precisely.
For some children, especially those with conditions like Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) or other severe articulation disorders, this motor planning process is disrupted. They know what they want to say, but their brain struggles to send the correct, consistent messages to their articulators (lips, tongue, jaw, velum). This can make speech sound learning incredibly frustrating.

Why use visual gestures?

Visual gestures provide an additional, powerful sensory input that can help bridge the gap between knowing a sound and producing it. Here’s how and why they are so beneficial:

1. Providing a visual map:
- How it helps: Many speech sounds are ‘hidden’ inside the mouth. It’s hard for a child to see where their tongue needs to go for a /K/ sound (back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth) or a /T/ sound (tongue tip behind teeth). A simple hand gesture can visually represent this mouth movement. For example, a hand gesture for /K/ might involve sweeping the hand back towards the throat, while for /T/, it might be a tap on the chin.
- Why it works: Children are highly visual learners. Seeing a physical representation of an abstract mouth movement gives them a concrete ‘map’ to follow, making the process less mysterious and more manageable.
2. Enhancing motor planning and memory:
- How it helps: When a child simultaneously moves their hand (the visual gesture) and attempts to make the sound, they are engaging multiple sensory systems (visual, tactile, proprioceptive – body awareness). This multi-sensory input strengthens the neural pathways associated with that speech sound.
- Why it works: This multi-modal learning helps to solidify the motor plan for the sound in the brain. It’s like having more ‘hooks’ to hang the information on, making the sound easier to recall and produce consistently. The gesture becomes a built-in reminder.
3. Reducing cognitive load:
- How it helps: Instead of just hearing the sound and trying to figure out the complex motor sequence, the child has a visual cue to guide them. This reduces the mental effort required to decode the sound production.
- Why it works: When cognitive load is lower, the child can focus more effectively on the specific motor execution of the sound, leading to faster progress and less frustration.
4. Increasing engagement and success:
- How it helps: Gestures can make therapy more interactive and fun! When a child successfully produces a sound with the help of a gesture, it’s a tangible victory.
- Why it works: Success is a powerful motivator. When children experience success, they are more likely to stay engaged, participate actively, and feel more confident in their ability to learn new sounds.
5. Supporting self-correction:
- How it helps: Once a child learns the gesture associated with a sound, he or she can use it as a self-monitoring tool. If he or she makes an error, he or she can use the gesture to remind himself or herself of the correct mouth position or movement.
- Why it works: This promotes independent learning and reduces reliance on constant adult prompting.
Conclusion

The journey of speech development can be challenging, but visual gestures offer a powerful and effective tool for teaching new sounds, especially when motor planning is a factor. By providing a clear visual map, strengthening motor memory, reducing cognitive load, and fostering engagement, these gestures pave the way for clearer communication and greater confidence. If your child is struggling with speech sounds, consider talking to a Speech and Language Therapist to get guidance on how visual gestures might be incorporated into the therapy plan. Because sometimes, seeing truly is believing (and speaking!).

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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READ MORE Seeing sounds: How visual gestures boost speech sound learning
Feeding · Speech and Language Therapy

Baby-Led Weaning: A Speech and Language Therapist’s Take
ByLondon Speech and Feeding May 24, 2024May 13, 2024
Image by freepik

Let’s face it, introducing solids is a rollercoaster for parents. You’re bombarded with advice (solicited and otherwise) on purees, spoon-feeding, and the much-discussed ‘baby-led weaning’ (BLW). As a speech-language/feeding therapist I see the world through the lens of communication and development, as well as safe munching and swallowing. BLW can be a fantastic option for many little foodies. But is it right for yours? Let’s take a dive into the messy, hilarious world of toddler feeding.

BLW in a nutshell

Your baby, perched in their highchair, eyes wide with excitement and curiosity reaches out for a platter of food. He/She grabs a fat avocado slice, and curiously explore it with his/her lips, gums and tongue. He/She spits some of it out, mashes bits of it into his/her hair, there was a tiny swallow and the rest is smeared onto the high chair tray. Now he/she grabs a bit of the banana and rinse and repeat as before, except this one he/she keeps in his/her mouth for bit longer and takes a tiny bit more before the rest gets deposited into his/her bib.

This, in a nutshell, is BLW! It’s all about letting your little one take the lead in exploring new foods, textures, and tastes. No spoon-feeding, just pure, messy, self-directed feeding fun.

The pros of letting your little one loose on solids:
- Motor Skills: BLW is a sensory party for developing motor skills. Picking up that slippery banana or gumming a chewy piece of toast strengthens those tiny hands and mouth muscles. These are the very skills they’ll need for future talking and chewing.
- Texture Time: BLW exposes your baby to a variety of textures right from the start. Think soft, steamed broccoli florets or smooth, banana half-slices. This sensory exploration helps them develop an understanding of different textures in the world, which can translate to better oral motor skills needed for speech development.
- Independence: BLW fosters a sense of self-feeding independence. Your toddler learns to control how much he/she eats and the pace of his/her meal. This can lead to better self-regulation later on, not just with food, but in other areas of his/her development too.
- A wider variety of flavours: BLW encourages exposure to a wider variety of tastes and smells. Let your baby discover the sweetness of roasted sweet potato or the tang of mashed avocado! This early exploration can lead to less picky eating down the road.
There are some valid concerns:
- Gagging vs. Choking: One of the biggest concerns parents have about BLW is choking. However, gagging is a natural reflex that helps babies learn to move food safely around their mouths. Choking is much rarer, and with proper food selection and supervision, the risk is very low. The con here really is parental anxiety more than anything else and if you can overcome this then a bit of gagging is just fine and part of the process. Choking, again most children do choke occasionally a bit! Of course, close supervision and common sense is very important here.
- It’s ever so messy!: Be prepared for mashed banana on the highchair tray, rogue peas flung across the room, and a general sense of chaos. But then again, this is an important part of the learning process! I would encourage you to embrace the mess (within reason and your personal tolerance level) and focus on the fun of exploration.
- Nutritional Concerns: Some parents worry that babies won’t get enough nutrients with BLW. While it might take a while for them to master the art of self-feeding, a healthy child’s body is pretty good at self-regulating. Offer a variety of healthy options, and he/she will eventually get the hang of it.
BLW: Is it right for your Little One?

BLW isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Here are some things to consider:
- Developmental Milestones: Babies should be able to sit up with good head control and show an interest in food before starting BLW.
- General good health and absence of food intolerances, allergies, or other significant health issues which might dictatea more controlled feeding regime.
- Gag Reflex: A strong gag reflex is a good sign. It shows your baby’s natural ability to move food safely around their mouth. If, however, your baby’s gag is overly sensitive and causes frequent bouts of vomiting please consult your health care professional for an assessment (GP, Paediatrician, Dietician, Speech and Language – Feeding Therapist).
- Your Comfort Level: BLW requires a relaxed and patient approach. If you’re feeling stressed about the mess or potential choking hazards, it might not be the right fit for you.
A final mouthful:

BLW can be a fantastic way to introduce your baby to solids. It promotes exploration, independence, and a love for food. Remember, there’s no pressure to go all-in on BLW. You can always combine it with spoon-feeding or purees to find an approach that works for your family and your child. The most important thing is to create a positive and relaxed mealtime environment where your little one can explore the wonderful world of food at their own pace.

P.S. As an SLT, I always recommend chatting with your health care professional. This way you can address any concerns you might have and ensure your baby is developmentally and physically on track for this exciting new chapter.

Don’t hesitate to contact me!

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Feeding · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Strategies to support children with eating difficulties
ByLondon Speech and Feeding August 25, 2023July 28, 2023
where the cause is NOT a swallowing problem, but we are having a “fussy eater” in the family, seeming for no obvious reason

When parents have a child who find mealtimes or eating difficult, it can put pressure on the whole family dynamics. Once we have observed a child’s eating and drinking skills and found that they are not swallowing impaired, but are for want of a better word “fussy” or “picky”, we can then start to look at what might be underpinning the food aversions/picky eating/food avoidance. Two of the main questions parents have (of course) are:
- ‘is my child getting the right nutrition?’
- ‘how can I have less anxiety-provoking and stressful mealtimes?’
We all tend to have an image in our minds about the ‘perfect mealtime’, and how mealtimes ‘should’ be. Speech and Language Therapists with a Feeding Specialism are the perfect professionals to help you unpick feeding issues. We are trained to look at swallowing and oral skills and we also know a lot about feeding behaviours and sensory difficulties which could be causing your child’s eating avoidance.

Here are some strategies that can support children with their eating:
1. Create and maintain a mealtime culture that suits your home and lifestyle. Then stick to that. We all need some routine in our lives to thrive. Mealtimes are no different. It might be that you eat in the same place for every meal, with the same knives and forks, concentrating on maintaining good posture. Children learn by repetition so the more familiar it is, the easier they will find it. In the physical sense, our bodies also need preparing for food, regardless of whether we are eating with our mouths or we are tube-fed. We want every child to connect all the dots of the process. It starts with their eyes, noses, expectations, memories of past experiences, feelings and then finally their mouths….
2. Be an excellent role model. Children learn through watching others, so your child will be observing you without you knowing. Ensure that you are positive about the food you are all eating, and talk about how delicious, tasty, juicy, and yummy the foods are. Make the atmosphere around the dinner table light hearted. Even though you are secretly stressed about your child not eating, try and not show this. Instead pick a topic or put on some nice music, or talk about something your child might be interested in, and try and avoid coercing your child to eat. Leave small finger foods on their plates and have a range of foods available on the table so that your child can see that everyone is eating a range of foods and enjoying them.
3. Use positive reinforcement. Try and think of mealtimes as fun and motivating. Children who are happy will likely be more inclined to try foods and take part in family mealtimes. Reward all interactions around food, so if your child merely touches a new food then praise this behaviour. Or if your child licks a food just once, again make a nice comment and praise your child for touching and licking the food. The takeaway here is to try and keep all messages positive around food.
4. Keep offering all types of food. What often happens is that parents stop serving foods they know will not be eaten. This makes sense in a way; we don’t want wastage! However, try and keep the doors open and re-offer all types of foods, even the ones that your child has not wanted in the past. Try and give your child one food they will like and one food they have tasted before and liked before, even a little, and then one new food to try. So, your child always has something to fall back on and they can join in with eating. But they can also try (or at least look at and think about trying) other foods that you and perhaps the siblings are eating.
Take a look at this website, I find it very helpful in showing parents what types of foods and how big a portion to offer

Have a go and try and implement some of the ideas above, and should you get stuck please get in touch!

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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READ MORE Strategies to support children with eating difficulties