Eating and Drinking Service

Referrals will be considered if any of the following signs of aspiration are present:

• Face changes colour
• Gagging or frequent coughing
• Eyes tearing
• Breathing changes
• Consistent refusal of food or drink
• Gurgly cry or voice during or after

Please note, the above form was launched in January 2026. Referrals using the old form will be accepted until the end of February 2026 and from March 2026 only referrals on the above form will be accepted.

What happens at a dysphagia assessment?

If the referral is accepted, an assessment will take place at home or educational setting and will usually take between 45  minutes to 1 hour.

During the appointment, the therapist will ask questions about your child’s general health and development as well as their current eating and drinking. They will observe your child eating and/or drinking and may listen to their swallow using a stethoscope. You may be asked to offer a range of tastes and textures during the appointment and your therapist will advise you on what to prepare beforehand.

What happens after assessment?

Following assessment/s, the therapist will write a report with recommendations; This will describe your child’s recommendations in detail e.g. what position to be in when eating, textures to be offered or avoided. These recommendations must be followed by all supporting the child e.g. parents / carers / relatives / nursery / school

Depending on the child’s needs, they may be offered a review appointment to monitor progress with the recommendations, or they may be discharged with the option to re-refer if required. The Dysphagia service does not provide ongoing therapy.

Your child will be discharged when they have the appropriate personalised eating guidelines to ensure that they are safe when eating / drinking / feeding.