Oral Function & Feeding Therapy Adelaide
Paediatric Speech Pathologist & Lactation Consultant
In-Clinic, Home visits & Telehealth consultations available
Something about feeding still doesn’t feel right
In many cases, this comes down to how the mouth functions during feeding.
You might be noticing:
Feeding is driven by how the mouth functions
Feeding relies on coordinated movement of the tongue, lips, and jaw, along with the ability to create and maintain pressure.
When this coordination isn’t working as it should, babies and children often compensate in ways that affect feeding.
This can impact feeding across both milk and solids, including:
• Latch, seal, and suction
• Milk transfer and efficiency
• Chewing coordination and texture management
• Ability to move food around the mouth
• Air intake and feeding comfort
• Endurance during feeds or meals
• Overall feeding patterns
Rather than focusing on a single symptom, assessment looks at how these systems are working together.
Feeding challenges are often part of a bigger picture
Assessment considers how function interacts with:
Feeding mechanics and positioning
Milk flow and supply
Sensory and behavioural responses during feeding
Reflux or gastrointestinal symptoms
Compensation patterns that have developed over time
If you’re also noticing reflux symptoms or unsettled feeding, you can learn more here.
Understanding how these factors interact allows us to identify what is actually driving the difficulty.
When to consider oral function and feeding therapy
Support across early feeding and beyond
Much of this work focuses on infants, where early feeding patterns are still developing.
In some cases, oral function continues to impact feeding, breathing, or coordination as children grow.
Support can also extend to:
• Older babies transitioning to solids
• Children with ongoing oral coordination challenges
• Situations where early feeding difficulties have carried forward
In some cases, this includes support around how chewing and oral coordination are developing as solids are introduced.
The focus remains the same — understanding how the mouth is functioning and how that is impacting everyday feeding.
What happens in a consultation?
We go through your feeding history and current concerns
I observe feeding (breast, bottle, or age-appropriate intake)
I assess oral function, coordination, and feeding patterns
We identify where feeding may be breaking down
We make practical adjustments where appropriate
You leave with a clear, personalised plan
Support that fits your family
Clinic Consultations (Adelaide)
Clinic consultations provide a focused, structured space to understand what’s happening in your baby or child’s feeding — and what may be contributing.
We look at how feeding is working as a whole, including coordination, efficiency, and how your baby is managing milk or solids. This allows us to identify where feeding may be breaking down and make practical adjustments during the session.
You leave with a clear understanding of what’s going on, along with a personalised, structured plan that fits your day-to-day feeding. For extra peace of mind, complimentary follow-up support via phone or email is available for 7 days to support the plan, if needed.
Best suited for:
- Babies or children where feeding feels difficult, effortful, or unclear
- Concerns about milk intake, latch, or transfer
- Challenges with solids, textures, or coordination
- Situations where feeding hasn’t improved as expected
Home visits may be available in limited circumstances. Please get in touch if you would like to explore whether this is suitable.
Telehealth Consultations
Telehealth provides a detailed and effective way to understand what’s happening in your baby or child’s feeding.
By combining a thorough history with guided observation, we can assess how feeding is functioning, whether during milk feeds or solids, and identify what may be contributing.
I’ll guide you on what to record so we can get a clear picture, and you’ll leave with a clear, personalised plan you can implement straight away. For extra peace of mind, complimentary follow-up support via phone or email is available for 7 days to support the plan, if needed.
Best suited for:
- Families outside Adelaide
- Initial assessment or follow-up
- Concerns across milk feeding or solids
- Situations where flexible access is needed
Hi, I’m Summer
I’m a paediatric Speech Pathologist and certified lactation consultant, with advanced training in orofacial myology and a clinical focus on infant feeding, reflux, and oral function. I support families where feeding is difficult, uncomfortable, or not progressing as expected—particularly when standard advice hasn’t resolved the issue.
My interest in reflux became deeply personal after navigating severe reflux and tongue tie with my own little person. Like many parents, I was told it was something babies simply “grow out of”, but I quickly discovered that identifying the underlying cause makes all the difference.
Since then, I’ve helped thousands of families understand what’s really driving their baby’s reflux symptoms and how to address them using gentle, practical strategies.
Rated 5 stars on Google
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Frequently Asked Questions
Oral function refers to how the tongue, lips, jaw, and palate work together to support feeding.
Feeding relies on coordinated movement, stability, and the ability to generate and manage pressure within the mouth.
When this isn’t working as expected, babies and children often compensate in ways that can affect feeding efficiency, comfort, and progression.
Not always.
Tongue tie is one factor that can affect oral function, but feeding difficulties can also occur due to coordination, strength, or learned compensation patterns.
In some cases, feeding patterns and compensation can continue even after a release.
Looking at how feeding is functioning, including coordination and movement, can help identify what still needs support.
Much of this work focuses on infants, particularly around breastfeeding and early feeding.
However, oral function can continue to impact feeding as children grow — especially during the transition to solids or when coordination hasn’t developed as expected.
No. You don’t need a diagnosis to explore whether oral function may be contributing to feeding difficulties.
Assessment focuses on understanding what is happening and what may be driving it.
Support that looks at the full picture of feeding
When oral function is part of the picture, understanding how it is contributing can make a meaningful difference to how feeding feels and progresses.
