Swallowing Is a Learned Skill: What New Research Means for Autism and Feeding Therapy. Dr Nadeem Ghayas

November 14, 2025

Over the years, swallowing was believed to be an automatic action means something the body does without thinking. But new scientific findings show something very different as swallowing is actually a learned motor skill, and the brain can relearn it the same way it relearns walking or talking after a delay or injury.

This discovery is especially important for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), many of whom face feeding and swallowing challenges due to sensory differences, motor planning difficulties, or rigidity with food textures.

A study titled Human Hyolaryngeal Movements Show Adaptive Motor Learning During Swallowing found that the muscles of the throat can “adapt” when swallowing becomes difficult. When researchers added resistance to make swallowing harder, the throat muscles and the brain slowly adjusted.

With each swallow, the body corrected its mistakes, improved the movement, and relearned how to swallow effectively. This is classic motor learning, similar to learning a new skill, improving coordination and adjusting movements based on feedback. This means swallowing is not fixed; it changes and improves with the right kind of training.

With reference to Children With Autism

Feeding and swallowing difficulties are common in autism due to:

1. Sensory sensitivities (taste, texture, temperature)
2. Difficulty coordinating mouth and throat movements
3.Oral-motor weakness
4. Challenges with motor planning

Because swallowing is a learned skill, these challenges are not permanent, the brain can adapt.
Children on the autism spectrum can improve swallowing through structured, sensory-friendly training.

Traditional feeding therapy often focuses on “try again,” “chew more,” or “strengthen the muscles.” But the new research recommends a smarter approach based on motor learning principles.

1. Repetition with purpose

Practice the same movement multiple times in a controlled environment to build brain pathways.

2. Feedback

Visual or verbal feedback (“good swallow,” “lift your tongue”) helps the brain adjust the next movement.

3. Gradual sensory challenges

Start with tolerated textures and gently progress. This supports both sensory integration and motor adaptation.

4. Small step changes

Tiny changes in texture, thickness, taste, or temperature help the child learn pattern variations without overwhelming the senses.

5. Motivation and meaningful rewards

Autistic children learn best when therapy connects to their interests, routines, or preferred foods.
This approach transforms therapy from forcing a child to eat into teaching the brain and body how to swallow safely and comfortably.

Link Between Sensory Processing and Swallowing in Autism

Children with autism often process sensory information differently. Research shows that sensory input such as taste, smell, and texture plays a key role in shaping the swallow movement.

When sensory information feels “too much,” the swallowing muscles may freeze, hesitate, or miscoordinate. But by gradually exposing the child to safe sensory experiences, therapists can help the brain learn how to anticipate textures, how to prepare the mouth, how to coordinate the swallow

References

1. Humbert, I. A., & German, R. Z. (2012). Human hyolaryngeal movements show adaptive motor learning during swallowing. Dysphagia.

2. Ben-Pazi, H. et al. (2018). Motor learning in autism: mechanisms and evidence. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology.

3. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Feeding and swallowing in autism clinical guidelines.