Table 4 Definitions of oral motor, sensory, and behavioral skills

 Age-appropriate strength and coordination of oral cavity

Adequate range of motion, strength and coordinated movement of the lips, tongue, and jaw

 Head/neck/trunk support

Strength and control of the head, neck, and trunk to provide midline stability of the body

 Sensory processing

Exposure to overcome sensory processing issues that interfere with daily life activities, specifically eating/feeding

 Regular meals

Coming to the meal setting at least 2–3 times per day, willingly

 Limited grazing

Child does not simply graze throughout the day, but participates in structured family mealtimes

 Same location

Daily meals take place in the same location

 Meal length

Meal length falls between 10 and 20 min

 Meal distractions

There are few distractions during mealtime (i.e., TV) that occur on a routine basis

 Family mealtime

The child and family eat meals together on a regular basis

 Structured start and end

The parent dictates the start and end of the meal with a simple command such as “It’s time to eat” or “You may get down now”

 Parent behavior during meals

Parent behavior during meals is appropriate with limited coaxing and no yelling or threatening

 Force feeding

There is never any forcing of food or other objects into the child’s mouth

 Meal demeanor

Child is neutral or positive in response to mealtime without crying or constantly turning the head away from the spoon

 Good food presentation

Appropriate amount/variety of foods are presented in a calm, relaxed manner; feeders announce each bite