If a child is not positioned well for receiving food, he or she may choke, vomit or have great difficulty breathing. The position in which the child gets nourishment may be causing the problem. Knowledge here is the key. If a child cannot hold both body and head upright, it is hard for the internal events involved in swallowing and digesting to take place. That is why positioning as far as nutrition is concerned is so important.
Health is as great a concern as comfort.
Positioning provides the body with an internal framework so that the digestion process can go on effectively inside it. If the body is slumping forward, the weight of the chest, head and shoulders is resting on the stomach. The result is too much pressure on the stomach. When it tries to pump food out into the small intestine, the result can be vomiting. If the head is extended forward, that can open the airway to food and fluids, and choking occurs.