1. Size matters!
Grabbing a cup with two hands is a lot of work for toddlers. They have to decide if they want to put down the scrumptious snack or try to drink! Eliminate the dilemma and use a small cup that your child can easily grip with one hand. Toddler's can do well with a cup with handles on each side. The Doidi cup found on Amazon is a great example. Baby food jars are a nice small size, however they are glass and are breakable. Plastic tumblers 2 oz or smaller are perfect! Small medicine cups can also work.
2. Start with water
Research shows that water is the safest fluid to have enter lungs. Therefore, if your child does cough, or if some liquid “goes down the wrong pipe” its much better if the liquid is water. While aspiration is dangerous, and coughing may be a sign that some liquid made it to the vocal folds or beyond, it doesn’t always mean your child will get aspiration pnuemonia, a very serious condition. Thus if you are scared of them coughing or aspirating, your child will quickly pick up on your fear and become scared of the cup. Help your child regulate the flow of the water by holding it with them so the water doesn’t come out to fast.
3. Fill it up.
Don’t be afraid that your toddler is going to spill. Because, your toddler WILL spill. That’s why we are using a small cup. Fill it all the way up so your child can easily sip from the top. When we put only a small amount in the bottom of a cup it is hard for little cup drinkers to regulate the flow. They will tip it all the way back; leading to a face full of water and a surprised cup drinker. Fill it to the top and bring it to their bottom lip waiting in front of their lip a little lower causing their head to tuck forward.
4. Try different locations.
Try cup drinking in the bath, this is a fun way to introduce cup drinking without caring about the mess. Try at the high chair, this will give them the best support for their hips and trunk. Try outside, in a chair, on the couch. Try when its quiet and the TV is turned off so they aren’t distracted by what is going on around them. Show them how to help their baby doll or dinosaur drink from a cup.
5. Make Cup Drinking fun!
Don’t get wrapped up in the stress of open cup drinking. We all know “cheers!” How about “ahhh” after a nice swig of refreshing water. Make sure cup drinking isn’t all work and no play. Have fun and model what you want your child to do by drinking from an open cup alongside them. Better yet ask them to pour you a drink, they will get extra practice regulating the flow of water!
6. Change the temperature.
The shock of ice cold water can take time to get used too. The difference between warm milk and cold milk can also be a bit to handle. Take care in letting your little one tell you if he likes his water cold, or luke-warm. Temperature can make a big difference on how much he spills as well as how likely he is to want to try drinking from an open cup again.
7. Change the thickness.
Thicker drinks can be harder for some babies to manage. While other babies can handle the flow and manipulate thicker liquids in their mouths easier. Don’t be afraid to try different thicknesses. They may be really successful drinking baby food from an open cup!
8. Don’t cry over spilled milk
Children love reactions. Often times the bigger we react the more our children want to do things. This works great when they go on the potty for the first time! We say “yay! You went potty!” they enjoy the praise and try again next time. Repeating the behavior when they spill milk, or water is not as enjoyable. Responding with any emotion over spilling a drink can cause your little one to continue spilling to get the same, fun and often exhausting effect from adults. Be sure to respond with minimal emotion, neither good, nor bad. “Oh, well, lets clean it up, you can try it again.” The next time help them, “Here let me help you.” If they insist on spilling let them know, “We don’t spill, we can try again next time” and put the cup away. If they take a successful drink show them how happy you are that they didn’t spill, “look at you drinking just like daddy! Cheers!” Embrace the mess!
9. Allow Time To Explore
Your child is thinking “An open cup! Water. Its not just for. Woo hooo!” as they plunge their hand in the cup. The key to successful cup drinking is allowing your child time to explore water at times other than mealtimes. Don’t be afraid to let them explore their cup at meals too. Remember they get one more chance to show you they wont spill at meals, or else their cup goes away. They want to be like their moms and dads it wont be long before they understand that cups at meals are not for playing with. Perhaps they can play with the water when they help you with the dishes after dinner! Teach them when they can play with and explore water and when they can't.
10. Help your child feel success.
Let your child feel successful while cup drinking. You may need to hold the cup up to their lips a few times. Sometimes holding your hand over their hand can help regulate the flow and stabilize the movement to their lips.
When you are concerned about your child feeding or swallowing abilities, and your child isn’t feeling success, it may be time to contact a feeding therapist. Trust your instinct! Helping your child become a successful eater and drinker does not mean you have to do it all on your own. Speech Language Pathologists who specialize in swallowing and feeding are trained to assess the oral motor abilities of your child to determine if their muscles or the structure of their mouth is causing any abnormal swallowing or feeding behaviors.
If you are concerned contact Take Home Speech LLC in Kenai, Alaskafor your free no obligation phone consultation.