My 11 Month Old Won't Eat Table Food - Sensitive Gag Reflex

My 16 month old has had the same problem. At first she would gag on everything and now she is able to eat foods that are a little thicker...but I use a food mill to get the chunks out because she will throw up everywhere if there is even a small chunk. I've been through a lot with doctors telling me there is nothing wrong. I've always felt like something isn't right and managed to get her involved in an early intervention program about 8 months ago. She saw feeding specialists, and occupational therapists and it didn't seem to help. I finally got the occupational therapist to refer her to an infant feeding clinic, but the prerequisite to the progam was a barium swallow test. After a very difficult trip to the hospital for the barium swallow, I found out she has reflux, which is what I had suspected all along. My doctor hasn't received the results of the barium swallow yet so I am not sure what the treatment will be. What I do suggest though, is that if you think something is wrong, you are the parent and you know your child better than anyone else. Keep insisting that the doctor investigate this...if you find out in the end that there is nothing wrong, great, but it is better to do that then find out later that there's a problem you could have done something about. I am just happy to know what the problem is so I can both understand what she is going through and take the necessary steps to deal with it properly. Best of luck to you!!

My oldest son was a preemie, so his gag reflex lasted a little longer than usual. He would gag on some stage 3 foods. My mother-in-law insisted he was old enough to eat peas and I told her he gags. She didn't believe me and I watched him push the pea to the back of his throat and proceed to throw up all over the floor. I let my mother-in-law clean it all up because I warned her. He was just premature and needed a little time to catch up to what he was supposed to be doing.

Your daughter may just need a little more time, but I would definately ask the pediatrician because it could be that her tonsils or adnoids are swollen.

Hi A.-
I heard that a sppech therapist may be able to help with a problem of gag reflex. I believe it has to do with the positioning of the tongue. You should speak to your pediatrician. I know someone who is a sppech therapist. I will ask her and get back to you.
Good Luck
K.

If the doctor doesn't see any problems, don't worry. I thought my son was going to be on level 2 baby food FOREVER. I envisioned sending him off to school with jars. He wouldn't eat anything with chunks in it.

Now at 2-1/2 he's eating table food. Not that life is perfect. (he'd eat the pureed veggies, but now he rarely lets a veggie pass his lips).

we had that problem with my now 5 year old - it lasted until he was 4. Definitely talk to your pediatrician or an ENT and maybe see if you can get some therapy through early intervention. Also the rusk institute at NYU has a great feeding program if it all really gets out of hand.

My now 2 year old still gags occationally, but when she was first starting to eat, anything with any texture made her gag. I would definitely check with your pediatrician to make sure that there isn't anything else going on, but after that, I found that slowly but surely she got used to things. Cheerios were always ok, but she couldn't tolerate even bananas. The smoother the food the better, and the smaller the pieces the better. It will eventually pass, but in the meantime it's difficult and needless to say, very messy.
I am a mom of 3 (14, 12 and 2).

Hi. I have 18-monthd old twins, a boy and a girl. they were preemies. My daugter eats fine but my son has the same problem as your daughter. He had GI reflux as a baby. My pediatrician told me to continue introducing solids to him that eventually he would start eating ok. I went to a specialist and he recommended Early Intervention, a speach therapist trained in feeding therapy. My son was evaluated and should start feeding therapy in a couple of weeks. I will let you know how it goes.
Please, let me know how things are working out for your baby

Hi A.,

As another Mom said, I would talk to the pediatrician and consider Early Intervention or private therapy if it continues. There is a great book, Just Two More Bites

http://www.amazon.com/Just-Two-More-Bites-Helping/dp/1400...

This book gives information on feeding difficulties and tips for kids who are very sensitive to food textures. One I remember is not to mix very different textures like a broth with chunks, but instead gradually increase thickness of purees, then combine slightly different textures. If there is really a sensory problem, a feeding therapist can help a lot with techniques to help your child become desensitized. Don't be afraid of the idea of therapy, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure later!

All the best!

C.

My son also had a sensitive gag reflex. Be patient eventually she will grow out of it but it can take a while. I spoke to my pediatrician about this and it seems like it is normal for a lot of kids that have had reflux when they were children. I stayed on stage 3 foods for a very long time and actually still use them here and there but now my son is 15 1/2 months old, doing great on solids and eats everything! He was a preemie so he is closer to a 12 1/2 month adjusted age. Good luck and be patient - it will get easier!

It's funny that I could have written the identical post about both of my 11-month-old twin boys. I guess it's not that uncommon! I just keep trying little pieces of banana on their trays every couple weeks to see how they do. I also break off small pieces of those dissolving puffs, which they somewhat tolerate if I put it into their mouths for them. Sometimes they gag and sometimes not. With the bananas, as well as with the puffs, they don't really even bring the food to their mouths, even though they stick everything else under the sun in there! They just like to smear it around the tray. I'm not too worried, though, since they're hitting all their other milestones. I'd be curious to hear what your doctor has to say, though. Good luck!

My youngest is the only one that I am having that same thing with. He will be 1 April 10th and he won't do anything with texture. I am trying to ahold of his dr now. Cause it worries me too and I have 3 older ones that never did this. I mean he is gaining weight but it still concerns me alot.