Celebrating Congenital Heart Defect Week: Supporting Babies with Feeding & Swallowing Challenges
February marks Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week, a time to recognize the resilience of children born with heart conditions and to support the families navigating this journey. While many people know about the medical challenges these babies face, fewer realize that CHD can significantly impact a baby’s ability to eat and swallow safely.
CHD affects 1 in 100 babies, making it one of the most common birth defects. By recognizing the unique feeding challenges these little ones face, we can ensure they receive the right support early on.
Why Do Babies with CHD Struggle with Feeding?
Feeding is one of the most energy-demanding activities a baby does, and for infants with CHD, it can be especially challenging. Here’s why:
❤️ Low Energy & Fatigue – A weaker heart means babies may tire quickly when sucking, swallowing, or breathing while feeding.
❤️ Swallowing & Coordination Issues – Some babies have difficulty coordinating their suck-swallow-breathe pattern, leading to choking or poor intake.
❤️ Silent Aspiration – Liquids may enter the airway without triggering a cough, increasing the risk of pneumonia.
❤️ Oral Aversion – After prolonged hospital stays, intubation, or tube feeding, some babies develop a reluctance to eat by mouth.
❤️ Growth & Nutrition Concerns – Difficulty eating can lead to weight gain issues, making adequate nutrition a top priority.
Feeding is more than just nutrition—it's connection, growth, and learning.
How a Speech-Language Pathologist Can Help
As a pediatric feeding specialist, an SLP plays a key role in helping babies with CHD learn to eat safely and effectively. Some ways we help include:
🍼 Assessing Swallow Function – Using clinical observation or instrumental evaluations (like a swallow study) to determine if a baby is swallowing safely.
🍼 Recommending Feeding Strategies – Adjusting bottle flow rates, pacing feeds, and positioning to reduce fatigue and aspiration risk.
🍼 Oral Motor Therapy – Helping babies strengthen the muscles needed for sucking and swallowing.
🍼 Supporting Tube Feeding Transitions – Gradually introducing oral feeds for babies who have relied on feeding tubes.
🍼 Educating & Empowering Families – Providing caregivers with the knowledge and tools to feel confident feeding their baby.
Spreading Awareness & Support
If you or someone you know has a child with CHD experiencing feeding difficulties, working with a feeding-specialized SLP can make a world of difference.
At Little Eaters & Talkers, we specialize in helping babies with feeding and swallowing challenges, including those with congenital heart defects and feeding tubes. Our goal is to support families with expert guidance, personalized strategies, and a compassionate approach to help little ones develop safe and confident eating skills.
Whether your baby needs help transitioning from a feeding tube, improving their ability to swallow safely, or overcoming oral aversions, we’re here to help.
📩 Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your baby’s feeding journey by email info@thelittleeaters.com or book a consultation online.
