A toddler typically drinks milk when eating meals. It has to be done in a sitting position so that the soft palate can prevent milk from going down to one’s air passages that will lead to choking or drowning when drinking milk. This is because an infant’s swallow reflex does not work properly until they are about one year old — much less than an infant, the milk can go directly to their lungs.

What are the precautions when giving milk to a toddler?

When feeding milk for toddlers or children, it is best that you should never leave them alone even for just a moment. Otherwise, they will definitely drink more than what is necessary which may lead to choking and other complications. Aside from that, it is also best that you should serve milk at room temperature. That way, your toddler will drink it immediately and not delayed which can lead to bacterial growth inside the container.

How long is a toddler’s attention span when drinking?

A child with age two or three typically has an average of five to ten minute attention span. This will be a good time to find out if the milk is going down into their lungs or not. If your child can drink milk lying down, that means they are now ready for it because their swallow reflex has already developed.

What age does one’s swallowing function develop?

Swallowing usually starts when an infant is in utero when amniotic fluid or breast milk passes from the throat to the gullet. In your child’s early months, he will swallow mostly saliva and some milk when feeding. When a definite stage of development has been reached, they can now drink more solid foods together with liquids even without choking. It is at one year old when they are able to drink milk in a sitting position without choking or breathing it down their lungs. A toddler’s oral feeding function continues to develop until the age of five when all molars have erupted and they can eat most foods by themselves.