Eating Skills for Babies and Toddlers Who Are Blind or Low Vision

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Whether it is from the breast or a bottle, newborns need to eat every few hours, and throughout infancy, babies need their parents to help them eat. You can involve your baby in the process right from the start and help them begin to learn about eating and food.

Teaching Your Infant About Food

  • Use the time spent in feeding to interact with your child. Cuddle and talk or sing as you nurse or bottle feed your baby.
  • If you’re using a bottle and your baby has some vision, or you’re unsure about their vision, select a bottle with a colorful pattern on it or a colored ring around the nipple. Encourage your baby to look at the bottle as you bring it to their mouth.
  • Guide your baby’s hands to help you hold the bottle to their mouth, even if only for a few seconds. Because your child may not see the bottle, they may not be aware of it. Showing your child the objects with which they are interacting is a first step in developing awareness and curiosity about the world around.
  • To babies with impaired vision, objects and people often seem to appear out of nowhere. When preparing a bottle for your baby, show your child how you get it out of the refrigerator and heat it, and explain out loud what you are doing. When you do this, you will be helping your baby begin to understand where food is kept and how it reaches the table.

Starting Solid Food

By the time your baby is five or six months old, they’ll probably start eating solid foods such as rice, cereal, or puréed vegetables. You’ll be the one doing the actual feeding at first, but your child will need to begin to learn about the food, the bowl, and the spoon you use to bring food to their mouth. To help your child start, let them explore the bowl and spoon with their hands before you begin feeding your child. All babies are messy eaters, so don’t be surprised if more of the lunch ends up on their face, hands, and clothes than inside them—especially when your child starts to feed themself! Stopping your child because they made a mess may only discourage them from trying again.

Here are some suggestions for engaging a blind or low-vision baby in learning about eating.

  • If your baby has some vision, pick a bowl that contrasts the bowl’s color and the food’s color. For example, a dark blue or red bowl contrasts clearly with light-colored cereal. Encourage your baby to look at the food.
  • Let your baby have a spoon to experiment with—to try holding and scooping food with it—while you use another spoon to feed them.
  • Your baby may not be able to see the spoon coming toward their mouth, so it’s a good idea to signal them in some way to let them know the next bite is coming. You might tap their lip gently with your finger or stroke their chin as a reminder to open their mouth.

Self-Feeding Skills

  • As your child becomes more interested in feeding themself, consider using a bowl that attaches to the highchair tray with a suction cup so that it doesn’t move easily. Also, you may want to look for a bowl that has higher sides, to make scooping easier.
  • Use hand-under-hand techniques to help your baby learn to bring the spoon to their mouth. It takes a lot of practice to be able to do this accurately, so be prepared for messes with large plastic bibs and a plastic mat or tablecloth under the highchair to make cleanup easier.
  • Your baby will begin using their fingers to pick up food such as crackers or small cereal pieces. If your child has usable vision, try to provide contrast between the food and the tray or other surface it’s sitting on. If both the food and the tray are a light color, think about having a darker, solid color placemat that you can put under the food. This will make it easier for your baby to see it.
  • “Sippy” cups with a lid and a spout may help your baby make the transition from a bottle to a cup. Show your child how to raise the cup to their mouth and tip it up to drink using hand-under-hand technique.

Helping Your Toddler Develop Table Manners and Social Skills 

As your toddler grows, they begin to eat the same foods as the rest of the family, making mealtimes an ideal opportunity to teach eating and important social and language skills. For children with blindness or low vision, these early experiences can build confidence and independence. Establishing consistent mealtime routines helps your toddler know what to expect, which is especially beneficial for developing good manners and interaction skills. 

Developing Table Manners for Toddlers with Visual Impairments 

Consistency is key when teaching table manners. For toddlers with blindness or low vision, maintaining a predictable setup at the table can help them feel more comfortable and confident as they learn to eat independently. 

  • Consistent placement of utensils and dishes: Always place your child’s bowl, plate, cup, and utensils in the same positions on the highchair tray or table. This consistency helps them learn where each item is and what to expect. 
  • Introduce food through touch: Let your child gently touch new foods to explore their texture. This helps them understand what they’re about to eat. Later, as they grow, you can guide them verbally, explaining where each food is located on their plate using clockface directions (e.g., “The chicken is at 6 o’clock, and the peas are at 3 o’clock”). 
  • Hand-under-hand technique: Use the hand-under-hand technique to teach your child how to use a spoon or fork. This method allows them to feel your movements without forcing theirs, helping them gain confidence in their ability to eat independently. Mashed foods like potatoes are great for practice. Smaller items like peas can be more challenging. 
  • Adapted tableware: Consider using plates with raised rims or divided sections to help your child keep food on their plate. Some plates are also suctioned to the table to help keep them in one spot. An occupational therapist can recommend the best utensils, cups, and plates to support your child’s development of independent eating skills. 

By integrating these tips into your child’s mealtime routine, you’ll support their growth in self-feeding and social interaction. 

Modeling Good Manners: Teaching Social Skills Through Interaction 

Like table manners, good social skills are built through consistent modeling and practice. Even at an early age, children with blindness or low vision absorb how to interact with others by listening to and observing family members. Every time you say “please,” “thank you,” or “excuse me,” you’re teaching your child important life skills that will serve them in future relationships and even in their careers. 

Here are a few ways you can model good manners and social interactions: 

  • Use everyday scenarios to model polite behavior: As you go about your day, take the opportunity to verbalize respectful and considerate actions. For example: 
  • “The waiter is here to take our order. I’ll say, ‘I’d like a turkey sandwich, please.'” 
  • “She helped us find our seats. Let’s thank her—’Thank you!'” 
  • “Oops, I didn’t mean to bump into you. Excuse me!” 
  • Express emotions and resolutions aloud: Children, especially those with visual impairments, benefit from hearing how you manage emotions and conflicts. Model ways to handle frustration or disagreements politely: 
  • “I’m feeling frustrated, so I will take a few minutes to calm down.” 
  • “I’m sorry I raised my voice. Next time I’ll speak calmly.” 
  • Encourage turn-taking and sharing: Social interactions often require patience and taking turns, especially during playtime: 
  • “Let’s play a clapping rhythm game. It’s your turn to clap a rhythm, then my turn. We are taking turns.” 
  • “That’s your sister’s favorite toy, and she asked not to play with it while she’s at school. Let’s respect her wishes.” 

These simple, everyday examples of courteous behavior help build your child’s understanding of interacting with others. They’re learning that social interactions involve consideration for others’ feelings, respect for personal boundaries, and polite communication. 

Combining Table Manners and Social Skills at Mealtime 

Mealtime is an excellent opportunity to combine table manners and social skill development. Here are some tips to integrate social interaction into your family’s mealtime routine: 

  • Encourage conversation: As your child becomes more verbal, prompt them to ask for items they need at the table. For example, “Can you say, ‘Please pass the bread?’” or “How about saying, ‘Thank you, Dad,’ when he gives you the spoon?” 
  • Model gratitude and polite requests: Even if your child isn’t yet communicating verbally, model the language they will use in the future. As you pass food or help them with utensils, say things like, “Here’s your spoon—thank you, Mom!” or “Can you say, ‘More please?’ when you want more milk?” 
  • Use positive reinforcement: Praise your child for using good table manners, even if they’re still learning. A simple, “Great job using your spoon!” or “I love how you said ‘please’ when you asked for help,” reinforces their behavior. 

By blending these elements into daily routines, you’re helping your child develop essential self-feeding skills while also building the foundation for strong social interactions. 

Enjoy the Time at the Table 

Life gets busy, and we are often on the go, rushing through our checklists. Take the time to sit together, have engaging conversations, and enjoy each other at mealtimes. Make small adjustments to help your child grow in their social skills and manners.