Toddler feeding issues

[tstew]

I am not a psychologist by any means and I do not know where and how you do try to feed him. However, my initial reaction to your post was that if it is psychological, radically changing the whole feeding process might help. For example, not doing the traditional get in the high chair it's time to eat. I was thinking Chuck E. Cheese or somewhere that radically changes the whole feeding experience.

Then I saw this online as well:
Lumpy foods cause gagging in the same way that smooth foods do when introduced to your baby for the first time.

In other words, your baby hasn't yet learned to deal with lumps and gags in order to stop any food at the back of his tongue from entering his airways. Ideally, he then learns to chew his food into smaller particles, which then prevents the gagging.

For some babies, though, this must seem like too much hard work and they end up refusing the lumpy food altogether.

In this situation, it is VERY important to be calm, relaxed and patient.

In most cases, your baby's aversion to lumpy foods will pass as his feeding abilities develop. But by trying to force your baby to eat lumpy food, or displaying anxiety when he refuses - you can make mealtimes traumatic for your child and greatly increase the problem.

Some parents report that their children become hysterical at the mere sight of their highchair if they know they are going to be made to eat something that they simply don't want.

This is a situation you want to avoid at all costs.

Mealtimes should be fun and something your baby looks forward to - creating a pleasant atmosphere at the dinner table can have a huge impact on the way your child views mealtimes for a long time to come.
Read more: http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipe...#ixzz0WnXrnhSc

[MissBrattified]

Great post, tstew. That makes a lot of sense. (Changing the environment, and "no pressure.")

[tstew]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Great post, tstew. That makes a lot of sense. (Changing the environment, and "no pressure.")

I read somewhere else that peas are a good food to use in situations like this because of the texture ands because kids like to pick them up by hand and feed themselves.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by tstew

I read somewhere else that peas are a good food to use in situations like this because of the texture ands because kids like to pick them up by hand and feed themselves.

On that note, you (or rather, kristian's mom) could make sure that finger foods are always available--like sweet peas or corn or cooked, diced carrots, etc. That way Kristian could eat them when he wants to try them, and still have his favorite (mushed) foods at dinnertime.

I've been able to get Jeffrey to try several different veggies by having him help me prepare dinner in the kitchen. He always wants to at least try what he's "cooked", and if he doesn't like it, it's no big deal. So far, he has some favorites (raw carrots, broccoli, snow peas, & raw parsnips) and some he hates (onions, tomatoes and cooked carrots). That's pretty good, so I don't mind if he picks out all the onions and carrots.

[kristian's_mom]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I am going to demand a referral from my doctor first thing Monday morning, and use these tips in the process. It's actually kind of hilarious, I put him in his highchair at lunch time today, threw some fruit loops and cheese on his tray. He then proceeded to count all the Fruit Loops (accurately) and tell me all their colors. He then clapped his hands excitedly and exclaimed, "I counted the cereals Momma!"

He can do all this but has not yet mastered the basic art of chewing. I think he's just lazy (like his Daddy).

[Traci]

My 4 1/2 year old daughter has feeding problems as well but she has Cornelia DeLange Syndrome and it is to be expected. She had a feeding tube placed at 2 weeks old and we used that all the time till she had her cleft palate repaired at 10 mos. At that time she started drinking Pedisure and has been drinking that every since. She takes no solid's at all at this point. Won't let us put anything in her mouth most of the time--except every once in a while she will take yogart or applesauce but thankfully there is Pedisure (she will take that until she is 12 than she will use Ensure. As long as she has 6 cans a day she is getting all the vitamins and minerals that she needs.(we do have to have a nutrionist re-calculate every so often to make sure she is getting enough but it seems she just starts taking more naturally as she gets older) She usually feeds herself by sippy cup but sometimes we do feed her by her feeding tube.

Has you doctor ever suggested Pedisure?

I know that the idea of a human being not eating solid foods can be stressful and even a foreign concept to most but really the most important thing is that he/she is getting all the nutrition that they need. (Sometimes when my Irritiable Bowel is acting up I eat baby food--I actually like it)

I do pray you find the answers that you need.

[kristian's_mom]

Originally Posted by Traci

My 4 1/2 year old daughter has feeding problems as well but she has Cornelia DeLange Syndrome and it is to be expected. She had a feeding tube placed at 2 weeks old and we used that all the time till she had her cleft palate repaired at 10 mos. At that time she started drinking Pedisure and has been drinking that every since. She takes no solid's at all at this point. Won't let us put anything in her mouth most of the time--except every once in a while she will take yogart or applesauce but thankfully there is Pedisure (she will take that until she is 12 than she will use Ensure. As long as she has 6 cans a day she is getting all the vitamins and minerals that she needs.(we do have to have a nutrionist re-calculate every so often to make sure she is getting enough but it seems she just starts taking more naturally as she gets older) She usually feeds herself by sippy cup but sometimes we do feed her by her feeding tube.

Has you doctor ever suggested Pedisure?


I know that the idea of a human being not eating solid foods can be stressful and even a foreign concept to most but really the most important thing is that he/she is getting all the nutrition that they need. (Sometimes when my Irritiable Bowel is acting up I eat baby food--I actually like it)

I do pray you find the answers that you need.

Thank you for your prayers, and I hate that your daughter has to go through this. My husband keeps saying to look at it this way, he won't be entering high school still eating baby food! You can say the same for your daughter too. Until then though, God help us, lol!

No he hasn't suggested Pediasure, he is getting all he needs right now from the baby food. Good news though, we called and fought with our doctor to get a referral and finally got one!!

They sent a referral out to a bunch of different places, and out of the 7 places we called, only one wasn't booked up until the end of next year. They want to run a scope down his throat just to make sure the acid that was in his body frm being in DKA hasn't damaged it. We have to wait until Dec. 9th to get this going. I'll keep you guys posted. I am going to throw a party when he starts eating solids, lol.