Before Birth
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12-20 weeks: Sucking, swallowing, and oral functioning are developing
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26-31 weeks: gagging, suckling, sucking, rooting, phasic bite, and finger sucking are developing
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34-40 weeks: coordination of hand to mouth movement emerges, tongue extension present, cough present. Fetus sucks and swallows increasing amount of fluid until birth
Birth to 2 months
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Shows rooting reflex
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Demonstrates suck, swallow, breathe skills
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Extends tongue
3 to 5 Months
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Able to close lips to seal mouth
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Easily moves tongue in and out of mouth
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Rolls in lower lip
5 to 6 Months
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Able to chew
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Controls sucking impulse
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Opens mouth to accept spoon
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Turns head to feed
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Increased tongue movement
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Biting reflex disappears
6 to 7 Months
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Grasps food and utensils and moves food toward mouth
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Sits without support
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Munch chew pattern is emerging
8 to 9 Months
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Starting to drink from a cup
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Understands spoon function
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Eating finger foods, soft/small pieces of fruits and vegetables
9 to 12 Months
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Rotary chew pattern is emerging. Demonstrates vertical chew pattern
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Able to hold and move food into mouth independently and self feeds
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Eats small/soft mashable solids
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Able to bite through soft biscuit
12 to 18 Months
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Sticks out tongue and spits
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Able bite through harder food with development of teeth
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Eats small/soft mashable solids
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Able to teach straw drinking
18 to 24 Months
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Rotary chew more established
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No longer bites on cup
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Eats full mechanical diet
