Foodology Feeding TherapyThe feeding assessment that scores itself.
Score airway, oral structure, jaw, lips, tongue, and swallowing in one place, with a drawing for every level and results that total themselves.
Get the FFFA for $97
You can see it at the table. Documenting it is another story.
- Your checklists don't talk to each other.Airway on one form, oral motor on another, swallow notes in the margins, and nothing that shows how they connect.
- You total scores by hand.Every evaluation ends with a calculator, a highlighter, and a second pass to make sure the numbers add up.
- Families need the "why."Parents and team members want to know how a low tongue or an open mouth affects eating and talking, and you need it in plain language.
- Structural findings slip through.An open bite, a narrow palate, or a collapsing nostril changes your plan and your referrals, but it's easy to miss without a system.
The FFFA puts structure, movement, and mealtime function in one assessment, then does the math for you.
Try scoring one item.
This is how every item works: compare the child to the four drawings, pick the closest match, and the worksheet does the rest.
Six domains. 78 items. One overall picture.
Airway
11 items
Breathing pattern, nasal patency, nasal bridge, drooling, facial profile, and body and neck posture.
Oral Structure
12 items
Occlusion, overjet, overbite, arch form, crossbite, palate, soft palate, gag, tonsils, and Mallampati.
Jaw
9 items
Tone, movement, stability, graded chew strength, bite hold, TMJ, and chewing pattern.
Lips
13 items
Rest posture, seal, lip tie, rounding, spreading, straw, spoon and cup closure, and compensations.
Tongue
20 items
Rest posture, TRMR-TIP and LPS, range of motion, shape control, cupping, posterior lift, strength, and coordination.
Eating & Swallowing
13 items
Chewing, bolus formation, oral transit, pocketing, residue, swallow timing, and aspiration signs.
Pick a score. The worksheet does the math.
Enter 3, 2, 1, 0, or N/A for each item. Every subsection, domain, and the overall summary calculate as you go, with severity levels color-coded. N/A items drop out of the score, so a virtual session or a child who declines a task never skews your results.
A drawing for every level that's hard to picture.
Nasal patency, occlusion, overjet, overbite, arch form, palate, Mallampati, lip tie, tongue rest, tongue shape, and TRMR grading each have four line drawings, one per score. You compare what you see to the picture instead of guessing what "moderate" means.
Muscles, eating, and speech for every item.
Each item tells you what it's really assessing, which muscles and cranial nerves are doing the work, and how a low score shows up at meals and in speech. You don't need myofunctional certification to use it, and if you have it, you'll get even more out of it.
Open bite / gap
Record which side, not just how much.
A Side / Location dropdown sits next to every score, so a right-sided open bite, a left crossbite, or a tongue that deviates right is documented exactly. Notes columns and a notes box on each domain hold the rest.
An overall summary you can share.
Every domain rolls up into a concern level, a domain score, and primary and secondary treatment focus areas. You can use it to explain findings to families, prioritize goals, and support referrals to ENT, dentistry, or an instrumental swallow study.
What you get
Self-scoring worksheet
Excel workbook with a Start Here tab, client info and notes, six domain tabs, an overall summary, and a scoring key.
Printable scoring form
A 28-page PDF for hand scoring in session, with the same items, drawings, and side checkboxes.
Visual scoring key
A 6-page quick reference of all 17 drawing sets, side by side.
Read Me First guide
Setup steps, how scoring works, and your license terms.
Made for feeding clinicians
- Pediatric SLPs who evaluate feeding and oral motor skills
- OTs and feeding therapists who want a structured oral-motor picture
- Myofunctional therapists who want scoring, visuals, and a summary in one tool
- Clinicians who want clearer reports and stronger referrals
The FFFA is a criterion-referenced clinical framework, not a standardized or norm-referenced test. You interpret results alongside case history and your clinical judgment, within your scope of practice.
Created by Christine Miroddi Yoder, MA, SLP
Christine is the founder of Foodology Feeding Therapy, a pediatric feeding therapy and coaching practice, and the author of Mealtime Mindset: How Changing Your Mindset Changes Mealtimes.
She built the FFFA from the assessment she uses with her own clients, because she wanted one tool that connects structure, movement, and mealtime function.
Everything you need to give, score, and explain the FFFA.
- Self-scoring Excel worksheet with 78 items across 6 domains
- Line drawings for 17 structural and postural items
- Muscles, nerves, eating, and speech links for every item
- Printable scoring form and visual scoring key
- Free v1.x updates in your product library
Single-clinician license
One-time payment. Instant download.
Get the FFFANeed it for your clinic or team? Contact us about a group license.
Questions
Do I need myofunctional training to use it?
No. Every item has clear instructions, four level descriptors, and a note on what it's assessing, so any feeding clinician can give and score it. Myofunctional training adds depth to your interpretation.
What do I need to open the worksheet?
Microsoft Excel for Windows or Mac (Microsoft 365, or Excel 2016 or later). The form, key, and guide are PDFs that open in any PDF reader.
Can I use it with every client?
Yes. Keep the worksheet as your blank template and save a copy for each client. You can print the scoring form as often as you need for your own caseload.
Is it a standardized test?
No. The FFFA is a criterion-referenced clinical framework. Cut-points reflect clinical judgment and aren't age-normed, so you interpret results alongside case history, observation, and your professional judgment.
Can I adjust the scoring?
Yes. The severity cut-points live on the Scoring Key tab and update every tab when you change them.
Can I share it with colleagues?
Each license is for one clinician. If several clinicians in your practice want to use it, contact us about a group license.
Do I get updates?
Yes. Version 1.x updates are added to your product library at no extra cost.
Spend your time on the child, not the calculator.
Get the FFFA for $97© 2025 Foodology Feeding. Foodology Functional Feeding Assessment™. All Rights Reserved. The FFFA is a clinical framework and does not replace professional judgment or instrumental assessment.