The power of babble: Why your baby’s ‘talk’ matters

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
| |

That adorable string of ‘ba-ba-ga-ga-ma-ma’ might sound like baby gibberish, but it’s actually a crucial milestone in your little one’s language development. Babbling or babble, as we call it, is far more than just cute baby noises. It’s a sequence of sounds that lays the foundation for future communication.

Image by freepik

What is babbling?

Babbling typically begins around six months of age, though the timing can vary slightly from baby to baby. It involves your baby experimenting with different sounds, stringing together consonants and vowels. You might hear them repeating sounds like:

  • ‘Ba-ba’
  • ‘Da-da’
  • ‘Ma-ma’
  • ‘Ga-ga’

As they progress, the babbling becomes more complex, with variations in pitch, rhythm, and intonation. It might even sound like they’re having a conversation with you!

Why is babbling so important?

  1. Laying the groundwork for speech: Babbling is like a vocal workout for your baby. By practising these sounds, they’re strengthening the muscles in their mouth, tongue, and vocal cords that are essential for speech.
  2. Developing phonological skills: Through babbling, babies begin to understand the sound patterns of their native language. They’re learning which sounds go together and how they’re used.
  3. Enhancing social interaction: Babbling is a social activity. Babies often babble back and forth with their caregivers, which helps them learn about the give-and-take of communication.
  4. Cognitive development: The act of babbling requires babies to use their brains in new ways. They’re learning to control their vocalisations, pay attention to the sounds they’re making, and connect those sounds to the responses they receive from others.

How can you encourage babbling?

  • Talk to your baby: Even though they can’t understand your words yet, talking to your baby exposes them to language and encourages them to respond with their own vocalisations.
  • Imitate their sounds: When your baby babbles, imitate them! This shows them that you’re paying attention and encourages them to keep ‘talking.’
  • Respond to their babbling: Treat your baby’s babbling as if it’s a real conversation. Respond with words, smiles, and gestures.
  • Play sound games: Make different sounds for your baby and encourage them to imitate you. This could include animal sounds, silly noises, or simple words.
  • Read to your baby: Even before they can understand the words, reading to your baby exposes them to the rhythm and sounds of language.
  • Sing songs: Singing is a fun and engaging way to introduce your baby to new sounds and words.
  • Use mirrors: Babies often enjoy watching themselves make sounds in a mirror.
  • Tactile stimulation: Gentle massage around the mouth and face can increase oral awareness and encourage vocalisations.
  • Vary textures: Offer different textured teethers.
  • Read books with sound effects: Choose books with animal sounds or other engaging noises.
  • Blow bubbles: The act of blowing and popping bubbles can encourage vocalisations.
  • Use visual aids: Show pictures of objects and say their names, emphasising the consonant sounds.
  • Use exaggerated facial expressions: When you make sounds, exaggerate your mouth movements to help your baby see how sounds are made.
  • Increase joint attention: Follow the child’s gaze and point to objects that they are looking at and say the name of the object.

When to seek help

If you notice that your baby is not babbling by eight months, it’s a good idea to talk to your speech and language therapist. You might also notice a lack of variation in tone when your child is making sounds, is your baby sounding a little ‘flat’ or monotonous? While every child develops at their own pace, a lack of babbling can sometimes indicate a developmental delay or hearing issue.

Remember, babbling is a gift. So, enjoy those precious moments of ‘baby talk’ and take comfort in knowing that your little one is on the path to becoming a chatterbox!

Do get in touch via my contact form if you are concerned about your child’s development or if you simply want some reassurance that your baby is developing well. We will be delighted to arrange a screening appointment for you and give you support and reassurance.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Health Professions Council registered
Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
Member of ASLTIP

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.

1

Similar Posts

  • When ‘star’ sounds like ‘dar’: Understanding speech sound disorders and the path to clearer speech

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    If your child says ‘dar’ instead of ‘star’, you might be wondering if they will simply outgrow it or if they require specialised support. While ‘cluster reduction’—dropping one of the sounds in a blend—is a normal part of learning to talk, we typically expect these sounds to lock into place by age four years. If these errors persist as a child approaches school age, it often signals a speech sound delay that may now no longer pass without help. As a Speech and Language Therapist, I specialise in helping children bridge this gap using evidence-based techniques like backward chaining.

    This isn’t about constant correction; it’s about providing the right clinical scaffolding to move a child from ‘frustrated’ to ‘fluent’ before they hit those critical early school years.

    Dropping sounds from words is a common feature of speech sound difficulties, and while it can look small on the surface, it can have a big impact on how clearly a child is understood. In this short video clip, I’m working with a child on an /ST/ sound cluster, demonstrating how I use an evidence-based speech therapy technique called backward chaining to help children build clearer speech with confidence.

    What’s actually happening when a child drops the ‘S’?

    Clusters like /ST/, /SP/, and /SK/ are tricky. They require:

    • precise timing
    • careful airflow
    • and the ability to blend sounds smoothly

    For many children, especially those with speech sound difficulties, this is a big ask.

    So instead of hearing:

    ‘star’

    we might hear:

    ‘tar’ or ‘dar’

    This isn’t laziness or refusal. It’s the child simplifying the word to make it manageable.

    Why I don’t start by saying ‘say star’

    Telling a child to ‘just add the S’ rarely works.

    Instead, I meet them where they are already successful.

    In this clip, the child can already say ‘dar’ clearly. That’s our starting point.

    Backward chaining: building speech from success

    Backward chaining means we:

    1. Start with the part of the word the child can already say
    2. Gradually add the missing sound
    3. Keep the child feeling successful at every step

    So rather than jumping straight to ‘star’, we:

    • secure the ending
    • gently introduce the /S/
    • and blend it in a way that feels achievable

    This approach reduces frustration, builds confidence, and helps the sound stick not just in the therapy room, but out in the real world.

    Why this matters beyond one word

    This isn’t just about saying ‘star’.

    It’s about:

    • teaching the mouth a new movement pattern
    • giving the brain time to organise the sound sequence
    • and helping the child feel capable, not corrected

    When therapy feels safe and successful, children are far more likely to generalise their new sounds into everyday speech.

    Speech therapy works best when children feel supported not tested.

    If your child struggles with speech clarity

    If your child:

    • drops sounds from words
    • avoids longer or trickier words
    • or becomes frustrated when they’re not understood

    This is the kind of work I do every day building speech step by step, in a way that respects each child’s pace and strengths.

    Support can be gentle, effective, and empowering.

    If you’d like to learn more about how speech therapy can support your child, you’re always welcome to get in touch.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    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.

    3
  • · ·

    The power of containment: A therapeutic approach for autistic children

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Photo by lemonlenz

    The practice of wrapping or swaddling children, often referred to as ‘containment,’ has been used for centuries to soothe and comfort infants. I use this therapeutic approach with autistic children at the London Speech and Feeding Practice. While it might seem counterintuitive, the act of being tightly wrapped can provide significant benefits for children who struggle with sensory processing, emotional regulation, and communication.

    Understanding sensory processing and autism

    Autistic persons often experience challenges with sensory processing, which is their brain’s ability to interpret and respond to sensory information. This can lead to sensory overload or under-responsivity. Containment can be a valuable tool in helping children regulate their sensory input.

    Photo by lemonlenz

    To summarise, here are some of the benefits of containment:

    • Sensory Regulation:
      • Provides deep pressure input: The tight, enveloping sensation of being wrapped can provide deep pressure input, which is calming and organising for many children.
      • Reduces sensory overload: By creating a controlled sensory environment, containment can help to reduce overstimulation and promote a sense of safety.
    • Emotional Regulation:
      • Containment creates a sense of security: Being wrapped tightly can mimic the feeling of being in the womb, providing a sense of security and comfort.
      • Facilitates calming: The deep pressure input can help to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.
    • Improved Body Awareness:
      • Enhances proprioception: Containment can improve the child’s awareness of their body in space, which is essential for motor development and sensory integration. I often provide extra pressure on a child’s arms and legs sticking out of the yoga mat; this helps my child understand where their limbs are in space: I can feel my legs and I can feel my arms and I can feel where they are right now, i.e. they are under Sonja’s hand, I can feel them.
    • Facilitates Communication – and this is obviously where I come in as a Speech and Language Therapist:
      • Swaddling creates a safe space: When a child feels calm and secure, they are more likely to engage in communication.
      • Enhances joint attention: The shared experience of being wrapped can foster joint attention, which is essential for language development. You can see this one in my highlights where I swaddle my student in the yoga mat (picture above). She absolutely loves it, and what is more she is calm and steady when usually this child likes to be on the move constantly. Here we have a wonderful moment of joint engagement. She looks at me, she can listen to what I say or sing, and she can tell me in her own way to carry on rolling her or to carry on singing or providing calming pressure to her legs and arms or to stop.

    A few pointers for when you try this at home: How to practise containment safely and effectively

    • Create a safe environment: Ensure the wrapping material is soft, breathable, and free from any hazards.
    • Observe your child’s cues: Pay attention to your child’s body language and verbal cues to determine their comfort level.
    • Respect your child’s boundaries: If your child shows signs of distress, stop the containment immediately – this might seem obvious but sometimes we adults get so carried away with some ‘great idea’ that we have seen work elsewhere. And so we can be a little too ‘determined’ sometimes to ‘make it happen’… perhaps this rings a bell with some of my readers.
    • MAKE IT FUN: Start carefully and take it step by step. See if the student is having a nice time. It is all about trust and therefore it might not work the very first time you do it.

    It’s important to remember that containment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Some children may respond better to other sensory-based interventions. However, for many autistic children containment can be a valuable tool in their journey towards improved communication and emotional regulation.

    For more information follow me on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

    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.

    1
  • · ·

    When speech difficulties overlap: Helping children with phonological delay and childhood apraxia of speech

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    One of the questions parents often ask is:

    ‘What kind of speech difficulty does my child have?’

    It’s a very understandable question. We often hear different terms such as phonological delay, articulation difficulties, or Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), and it can be confusing.

    The reality is that many children don’t fit neatly into one single category.

    In fact, quite often I see children whose speech profile includes a mixture of difficulties. They might have some phonological patterns (where they substitute one sound for another) alongside challenges with motor speech planning, where coordinating the movements needed for speech is harder.

    When this happens, therapy needs to be flexible, responsive, and tailored to the child sitting in front of us.

    Example

    Recently I filmed a short clip from one of my therapy sessions which shows exactly how this works in practice.

    The child I was working with has difficulties with several speech sounds. Part of the challenge relates to a phonological pattern called fronting.

    Fronting is when sounds that should be made further back in the mouth (like /K/ or /G/) are produced further forward instead.

    At the same time, this child also shows signs of motor speech planning difficulty, which means the brain has to work harder to organise and sequence the movements of the tongue, lips and jaw for speech.

    This type of profile can sometimes overlap with characteristics seen in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).

    When difficulties overlap like this, therapy cannot rely on a single approach. Instead, it needs to draw on multiple evidence-based strategies.

    That is exactly what you see happening in the clip. We started out generalising the /K/ sound which until recently had been replaced by a /T/ sound. Whilst looking at a sound loaded picture of /K/ sounds we somehow got talking about a ‘dent’ (I don’t recall how we got there!) but the ‘dent’ was a ‘det’ and I decided to tackle this there and then because there are other great words that end in ‘nt’ like : ‘count’ ‘giant’ ‘point’ or ‘paint’.

    Using visual cues to support motor planning

    Speech is incredibly complex. For children with motor speech difficulties, the challenge is not only knowing what sound they want to say, but also how to move their mouth to produce it.

    This is where visual cues can be incredibly helpful.

    In the clip, you can see me using a whiteboard with pictures and simple visual prompts. These help to:

    • Focus attention on the target sound
    • Understand where the sound occurs in the word
    • Remember the sequence of sounds needed

    Visual supports can act almost like a map for the mouth, guiding children as they practise new speech movements.

    For children with motor planning difficulties, this type of cueing can make a huge difference.

    Why repetition of a single word (massed practice) is so important

    Another key feature you will notice in the clip is lots of repetition.

    This is very deliberate.

    When we are supporting children with motor speech challenges, the brain needs repeated opportunities to practise the correct movement patterns. Just like learning a musical instrument or a new sport, repetition helps the brain build stronger and more efficient pathways.

    In therapy we call this massed practice.

    Rather than saying a word only once or twice, we practise it many times in a structured way, helping the child stabilise the new speech pattern.

    But repetition alone is not enough. The child also needs to understand why the sound matters.

    Showing children that sounds change meaning

    This is where another powerful therapy approach comes in: minimal pairs.

    Minimal pairs are word pairs that differ by only one sound. For example:

    • debt
    • dent

    In the clip, I use these two words to help the child realise that the /N/ sound makes a meaningful difference.

    Without the /N/, the word becomes something else entirely.

    This approach helps children recognise that speech sounds are not random: they carry meaning. If a sound is missing or substituted, the message may change.

    Helping children notice these differences can be a very motivating moment in therapy. Suddenly the sound is no longer just an abstract exercise; it becomes part of real communication.

    Blending approaches for the best outcomes

    In this short therapy moment, I am combining:

    • Visual cueing

    • Motor speech practice

    • High repetition (massed practice)

    • Minimal pair contrasts

    • Listening and awareness of sound differences

    Each element supports a different part of the speech system.

    Some strategies help with motor planning, others support phonological awareness, and others build accuracy and consistency.

    Together they create a therapy session that is both structured and responsive.

    Every child’s speech journey is unique

    One of the most important things I want to convey is that speech development is not always straightforward.

    Two children may both struggle with speech sounds, yet the underlying reasons may be very different.

    This is why careful assessment is essential, and why therapy needs to stay flexible as we learn more about how a child’s speech system works.

    Sometimes a child needs more motor-based work.

    Sometimes the focus shifts towards phonological contrasts.

    Often, as in this example, the most effective therapy uses both.

    Small steps lead to big progress

    Every session helps us understand a little more about how a child’s speech system works and what support will help them move forward.

    And when the pieces start to come together, when a child realises that one tiny sound can change a whole word, that is when the real progress begins.

    If you are concerned about your child’s speech sounds, clarity of speech, or possible motor speech difficulties, early support can make a significant difference. A detailed assessment can help identify the nature of the difficulty and guide a therapy approach tailored to your child’s individual needs.

    Feel free to contact me on www.londonspeechandfeeding.co.uk

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    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.

    Reference

    McNeill, B. C., Gillon, G. T., & Dodd, B. (2009). Effectiveness of an integrated phonological awareness approach for children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 25(3), 341-366.

    3
  • ·

    Joint attention for children with autism

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Kids Speech Therapist London

    Why is joint engagement important for communication development?

    It has been well-documented that the development of joint attention is impaired in children who have social communication difficulties or autism. It is, in fact, this impairment which distinguishes children with ASD from children who have other developmental delays.

    A lack of joint attention in very young children is an early sign of autism as it is a signal that there is a disruption in the motivation to connect socially with others. Since this is a crucial element, I thought I would outline what we mean by Joint Attention as supported by the research undertaken at Hanen.org.

    In typically developing children, the ability to shift attention between a person and an object for the purposes of connecting socially or for requesting develops around the same time. However, for children with ASD, these components emerge one at a time and in a linear fashion. Children with ASD usually start with requesting something and later they may learn to share attention for social sharing. (see pattern below as a general guide).

    As with typical development, there is variation in the order that these skills emerge but the following patterns of development is commonly seen:

    • Reaching, taking adult’s arm/hand or pointing to ask for something — but without looking at the adult
    • Gradually alternating looking between person and object of desire
    • Then learning to follow the point of another — which is responding to joint attention initiated by another
    • Directing attention to share interests — without looking at the adult: pointing to a truck on the road/ helicopter circling above
    • Then directing attention to share interest by alternating gaze shift between person and object — here the child is now initiating joint attention.

    What is important to note is that in order to fulfil the criteria for true joint attention, the purpose of directing the attention of another person must be social in nature. In other words, it must not be exclusively to obtain a desirable object or event/action. True Joint Attention is seen verbally or non-verbally; we want to share a thought with another person and direct them to something we are interested or excited or spooked by.

    For example: we can see an amazing firework display in the distance and we want to quickly direct our friend’s attention to this. In order to do this we might be tugging their sleeve/arm whilst pointing to the display in the distance, and perhaps we might add “wow look over there!” We are doing so simply to share an interest without obtaining anything, we are just being social with each other. So True Joint Attention is not just looking at what we want to have, then look at the person who can get this for us and then point to the item. We can say that this is the precursor to true joint attention, which is purely social in nature.

    Because true joint attention is an essential precursor to typical language development, the absence of joint attention in children with ASD contributes to difficulties with language learning. Beuker, K., Rommelse, N., Donders, R. & Buitelaar, J. (2013).

    The Hanen programme for Parent Child Interaction teaches parents of children with Social Communication Difficulties step by step how to enable their children to learn to pay attention to an object and the parent at the same time.

    We learn how to enable a child to:

    • engage take turns
    • shift eye gaze between toy and adult
    • copy adult’s actions, gestures and then words
    • play with toys in different, new ways
    • interact and for longer periods of time
    • have fun whilst playing

    If you would like to know more about the Hanen programme please get in touch. I look forward to exploring the topic with you and help guide you forward if this is something your child is struggling with.

    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.

  • · ·

    The joyful language toolkit: Strategies for connecting with your child through play

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    As parents and therapists, we all want to help our children communicate. But sometimes, the process can feel like ‘work’. If I had a penny for every parent saying ‘I find it so boring!’… Ok hang in… what if I told you the most effective therapy happens when it doesn’t look like therapy at all?

    My approach centres on connection, enthusiasm, and multi-sensory engagement. We don’t just teach words; we teach the joy of using them. These strategies can be used whether your child is speaking, using a core board, or communicating in his or her own unique way.

    Some of my favourite strategies

    Today I want to share a few of my favourite strategies to turn everyday interactions into powerful communication opportunities regardless of why or how big a delay your child is having.

    1. Facial expressions & exaggeration: Use an exaggerated facial expression to show surprise (wide eyes!), excitement (big smile!), or confusion (a crinkled brow!). Your face is a powerful teaching tool. I am always talking like a clown in my sessions. I can announce that I have also a normal speaking voice outside my clinic room! 😊
    2. Using your voice with intonation: Your voice is music! Use a singsong or ‘tuneful’ repeat to make words stand out. For example, ‘It’s a BIIIG ball!’ or ‘Let’s GO-O-O!’. Again think: clown!!
    3. Hands and body to show: Use gestures, hands, and body movements to demonstrate. Say ‘OPEN’ while pulling your hands apart, or ‘UP’ while raising the toy high above your head.
    4. Elongating our words: Stretching out key sounds or words gives them emphasis and more time for your child to process. ‘Criiiinkley’ ‘tiiickleyyyy’
    5. Core board & language modelling:
      • Model the core board with joy: Don’t just point: point with energy!
      • Model the core board repeatedly throughout the activity, showing genuine excitement. This demonstrates the board is a joyful tool, not homework.
      • Pointing to the core board: When you say a core word, point to the corresponding symbol. You are showing your child, ‘My words live here, and your words can too’.
    6. Describing it for your child: Help your child build his or her vocabulary by providing rich sensory language. ‘It’s squishy’, ‘It’s very noisy’, or ‘It’s so smooth’.
    7. Catchy phrases: Repetitive, positive phrases create a sense of shared fun. Use them consistently: ‘Oh, that’s a nice one!’ or ‘We like that!’
    8. Following your child’s Interest: Put down your agenda and follow your child’s lead. If they pick up a block, talk about the block. This ensures they are engaged and ready to learn.
    9. Allowing for pauses: This is critical! After you made a comment, allow for a significant pause (count to five in your head) for your child to fill. The silence creates a powerful opportunity for them to initiate communication.
    10. Copying your child’s sounds: If he or she makes a sound (‘buh!’), you make the sound back! Copying your child’s sounds shows him or her ‘I hear you, and your communication is important’.
    11. Lots of repetition: Hearing a word many times in meaningful contexts is how we learn! Repeat key phrases and core words throughout the activity. Repetition is the key to retention.
    12. Getting turns: Explicitly teach and celebrate getting turns in a game. ‘My turn! Your turn!’ This is a foundational social and communication skill.
    13. Using tidy up as a teaching activity: Turn cleanup into a fun game! It’s a goldmine for core words like PUT IN, ALL DONE, HELP, and MORE. For example, ‘Let’s PUT IN the red block! Yay!’
    14. Using exaggerated repeats: When your child tries a sound or word, give it back with exaggerated, tuneful repeats.

    Try out all or even just a few of these strategies, and I can promise you, you’re not just encouraging language; you’re building a joyful, reciprocal relationship based on genuine communication!

    Which strategy are you excited to try first? Let me know in the comments!

    If I can help you with any of the above, if you want to practise these a bit more, I would love to help you!

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    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.

    2
  • · ·

    The picky eater’s plate: Introducing solids to toddlers with ARFID

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Designed by Freepik

    Mealtimes can be a battleground for parents of picky eaters, especially toddlers with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). I see a great number of toddlers with Autism traits and many of my clients are picky eaters from mild to severe. Take a look at my blog for an outline of what the issues are and how to try and help.

    ARFID goes beyond typical ‘picky eating’ and can significantly impact a child’s growth, nutrition, and social-emotional well-being. If your toddler is resistant to trying new foods or has a very limited diet, here are some strategies to navigate the introduction of solids:

    1. Understand ARFID:

    ARFID is a diagnosable eating disorder characterised by:

    • Limited food variety: Eating only a small range of foods, often with specific textures or colours.
    • Fear of new foods: Intense anxiety or aversion to trying unfamiliar foods.
    • Sensory sensitivities: Heightened sensitivity to taste, smell, texture, or appearance of food.
    • Lack of interest in eating: May show little interest in food or mealtimes.

    2. Seek professional guidance:

    • Paediatrician and/or gastroenterologist: Rule out any underlying medical conditions.
    • Registered dietitian: Assess nutritional needs and create a balanced meal plan.
    • Speech and language therapist (SLT): If oral-motor skills or sensory sensitivities are contributing to feeding difficulties.
    • Occupational therapist (OT): If sensory processing challenges are affecting mealtime behaviours.
    • Child psychologist: If anxiety or emotional factors are contributing to ARFID.

    3. Strategies for introducing solids:

    • Start small: Introduce one new food at a time, in small amounts, alongside familiar favourites.
    • Patience is key: It can take multiple exposures (up to 10–15 times!) for a child to accept a new food. Don’t give up!
    • Positive reinforcement: Praise and encouragement for any interaction with the new food, even just touching or smelling it.
    • No pressure: Avoid forcing or pressuring the child to eat. This can create negative associations with food.
    • Make it fun: Present food in playful ways, use cookie cutters for fun shapes, or involve the child in food preparation.
    • Sensory exploration: Encourage exploration of food through touch, smell, and sight before tasting.
    • Role modelling: Show the child that you enjoy eating a variety of foods.
    • Use fun utensils: your child might like characters from ‘Frozen’ or ‘Dinosaurs’ or ‘Diggers’ there are a host of character-based cutlery and cups/plates to be had. Also, I really rate these two items very highly they are so good so I want to share these with you. Both are available online. But warning: the cup is outrageously expensive as it comes from the United States and is sold by a small scale company. But I feel this is cup very worth trying, I have had good results with this.
    NumNum Baby Spoons Set
    TalkTools Recessed Lid Cup with Handles
    • Gradual desensitisation: Start with foods that are similar in texture or taste to accepted foods, then gradually introduce more challenging options.
    • Food chaining: Introduce new foods that are similar in taste, texture, or appearance to accepted foods.

    4. Mealtime Environment:

    • Positive and relaxed: Create a calm and enjoyable mealtime atmosphere.
    • No distractions: Minimise distractions like TV or toys.
    • Consistent schedule: Offer meals and snacks at regular times.
    • Child-sized portions: Offer small, manageable portions to avoid overwhelming the child.
    • Involve the child: Let the child choose their utensils, plate, or cup.

    5. Remember:

    • Every child is different: What works for one child may not work for another.
    • Progress takes time: Be patient and celebrate small victories.
    • Focus on the positive: Praise any positive interaction with food.
    • Seek support: Connect with other parents or support groups.

    Introducing solids to toddlers with ARFID can be challenging, but with patience, persistence, and professional guidance, you can help your child develop a healthier relationship with food.

    Get in touch with me via my contact form if you need support

    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.

    1