Food Issues with My 22 Month Old

Jennifer,
At least I am not the olny mother with that problem. My daughter is 20 mths and I still have to feed her stage 3 babyfood. Although she is getting better ( she will at least eat chicken and hotdogs). I have been told she will grow out of it. I think she is getting more out of the baby food that prossesed foods. At least I guess that is what I tell myself. If he is not ready dont worry. Good luck

As long as his doctor says there is nothing that would be causing it, I would completely get rid of all the baby food in the house. You can start out with things like mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and soup. If you don't do it now, you're going to really struggle by the time he's 4. He's not going to want to eat ANYTHING. I have a picky 4 year old, and trust me, it's not fun. He is offered what everyone else has, and if he eats it, fine, if he doesn't, he goes hungry til breakfast. If you don't take on this same approach, you're going to be making two kinds of dinners forever! Trust me he WILL eat when he gets hungry.

Here are three viable options that you should consider.....

call your local CHILDREN's CLOSe to home and make an appointment with a specialist seem silly - early intervention is key to all children. It may be something as silly as slow muscle development in the jaw or throat area and an ot can quickly turn things around ... I am a teacher of children with many disabilities and appraxia is one of them that is treatable and the sooner the intervention the better- how is his speech? Another indicator.

If it is just that one time you freaked when he started to choke while eatting and he has a fear... this can be addressed too..... its the little weird things that to us are no big deal.

Also one of my kids had these issues it turned out she had THRUSH all the way down her esophagus and it was painful for her to eat anything with texture two doases of diflucan fixed her adn she is fine today.... so a specialist maybe the best way to go to just have peace of mind.

Without sounding overly dramatic, this reads like Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)to me. It's actually a very common problem with children, but is often over looked or misdiagnosed. Many kids labled as picky eaters actually have sensory issues.

My seven year old daughter has SPD. Hers is a tactile hypersensitivity. She couldn't stand the feeling of clothes on her body. She would completely melt down, screaming, fighting, flailing when we had to dress her. It was hellish.

We battled for YEARS before anyone mentioned SPD to us. One month in occupational therapy & she was a different child. We were told clothing on her skin felt like fiberglass to her.

SPD can affect any and all of the senses (including taste & even textures in the mouth). If your son does have SPD, simply refusing to feed him soft foods will not help. It could make the problem MUCH worse.

I suggest talking to your pediatrician (even though ours had never heard of it) and asking to be reffered to an occupational therapist. You can check out: http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/index.html for more info.

He might have some form of sensory disorder. My son's sensory issues are under the catagory of autism. He cannot eat anything with the texture of mashed potatoes. He'll eat crisp french fries, but if they are the least bit soft, look out!

I'd give early intervention a call and set up an appointment for an evaluation. There are therapies they can do for his mouth and also check him out for other issues that fall under sensory integration. The earler started, the better.

Good luck.

You need to contact First Steps. It's a center that evaluates different problems for children under 3 years old. The cost is based on income and unless you make like $80,000 a year, it's usually free.

Your child may need to see an occupational therapist. This therapy helps the child get used to different sensations and touches. This may be a sensory disorder, so it should definitely be looked at. Call First Call for Help at 211 (free call) for the phone number to First Steps.

I would slowly move off of baby food. Perhaps he has sensory integration issues. My daughter is a picky eater.My daughter is 4 1/2 and has sensory issues. She eats the same sort of meals at each time frame. We try to offer her our food , but she does not want it. Maybe an an Occupational Therapist would be a person to start with. My daughter is under an Individual educational plan at school. She does receive Speech and Occupational Therapy each week in school. Out of school, she also receives Occupational Therapy 1x a week for an hour. Be glad to get anything in him. Some days they eat much other days less. When going through growth spurts , there eating habits and foods also change. Keep offering other foods. Try to make sure he is getting multiple foods from all the food groups.

Good Luck,
J. R.

Jennifer,

we had the same problem with our son at that age, we went thru the "swallow study" and everything was fine. He would just freck out if anything had texture. We started mixing rice cereal with the baby food to thicken it up and give it texture and just keep trying to get him to eat table food. He finally gave up the baby food at 3.5 years and has no problems with table food now at 5. I know its frustrating, there were days when our son would eat 5 jars at a meal and it seems weird to people when you are out still feeding your older child baby food. I looked at it this way, he was eating fruits and veggies and gettiing all his nutrients, he just liked it pureed. Hope this helps

Hi Jennifer,

My name is D. and my son Matthew is 20 months old with the same problem. We have tried table food, cherrios, puffs, etc.., but he refuses to eat it or throws it up. I know it has to be a texture issue. I took him to Dr. Green in Terre Haute and he said Matthew will grow out of it by age 2. We are looking forward to that day! In the mean time, we are still feeding him stage 2 foods and some stage 3 like bananas and strawberries or applesauce. Please don't take the stage 2 away from your son. If it is a serious issue, you don't want to take away his source of nutrition. Hang in here. We both can get threw this. Good luck!

Call First Steps. It may not be anything to do with swallowing, but could be something else texture-related. It could just be a symptom of a larger problem that you aren't fully aware of yet. Some kids are hyper-sensitive to textures. They can also suggest ways to get him learn how to chew (he's old enough he might have lost the instinct) and get him used to it. Something is obviously wrong so you should do everything you can to rule stuff out. Most kids can eat chunky/hard foods cheerios at 6-7 months. Anyways... I know several kids with texture issues and it's pretty treatable and most are over the problem before then enter school.

J. - I have not dealt with your problem; however, had you tried to take the table food and put it in the blender or food processor to grind it up a bit (not to baby food consistency; but to where this is a little texture)? Good luck to you and I hope you figure out what is going on! :)

keep giving him the baby food but when you eat act like the food you eat is so good and the baby will want to eat what you are eating

I have no related problems with this but I definately think your doctor is wrong by telling you your son will grow out of this. I really think you should get a 2nd opinion especially since your son is almost 2 now. By the other advice I have read here I think that they would agree-maybe there is a more in depth problem than him just being a picky eatter. I stopped giving my daughter baby food at 6 months but I definately think that you should NOT be embarrassed by this. If people have an issue with it that is their own problem. As long as he is eatting and getting the nutrition he needs you are doing the best you can.

I have a 22 month old that's particularly picky too. She'll eat pancakes, waffles, spaghetti, mac and cheese, but sometimes she just wants the jarred cereal (Oatmeal with pears or something).

Sometimes though, it's a "comfort thing". Our 22 month old still wants a bottle at night. That's the only time she wants it - sippy cups are fine the rest of the day. My oldest was about this age when she gave up the bottle too. One night we said, "Do you want water or the bottle?" (we have a dorm fridge upstairs with 8 oz. bottles of water in it, and we had one of her bottles in it.) She asked for water and never turned back. SO - that's just one of those things we know she'll outgrow soon enough and don't feel the need to really push it unless it goes too much further.

You'll find some will tell you "he'll eat when he's hungry enough" and I have a different view. At this age, feed them what they'll eat. Introduce new things, sure - and keep trying. BUT have "back-up". Sometimes they'll get so hungry that they can't "see straight" and the "back-ups" are all they want.

To me, that's just not a battle I'm willing to fight. Especialy if I know she's getting decent nutrition anyway.

FOr what it's worth...

I struggle with this issue with my 19 month old as well. He will eat some table foods such as waffles, pancakes, cereal (the sweet stuff). He also loves french fries and grilled cheese but that's all! I was beginning to worry about him as well. He will only eat Stage 3 baby food for dinner. Everyone I have talked to says to just be patient, that he will come around, but his is sooooo stubborn. If nothing else I'm glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with this issue. I don't want to stop offering him baby food because I at least know he is eating and that he is getting the necessary proteins and vegetables. Make sure you give him a multivitamin as well. If you get any suggestions please pass them on to me!

Try mashed potatoes or mash some sweet potatoes and put a little butter on them.if he has enough teeth--put a cherrio or something else into your mouth and have him watch you chew. While chewing say mmm good stuff or something similar. If he is still cutting teeth it may hurt his gums to chew.good luck. Hope you can get him on table food real soon.

I haven't experienced this problem with my own child exactly. However, Katie is a very picky eater and has been since day one. I can't say too much because I am also. My mom said that I am the only one that she's ever seen that refused to eat mashed potatoes as a baby. She said that I would begin gagging and spit them out every time. I am now in my 40's and to this day I absolutely hate mashed potatoes. I love potatoes every other way, but would literally starve before I'd eat them mashed. Don't ask me why. It has to be a texture thing. I also will not eat any type of beans except refried. I don't like any kind of soup. I love apples, but hate applesauce. Love strawberries, but hate anything strawberry flavored. I love most veggies raw, but won't eat them cooked in any manner. I hate all types of fish and seafood. I do like a variety of other meats. My parents tried everything to get me to eat a bigger variety of foods, and I simply refused. I could just look at something, or smell it, and tell right away that I wasn't going to eat it. My mom always said it was because I made up my mind without trying something, and that I needed to try it first. Maybe she was right and it was a psychological thing, but I never ended up liking something I tried when I had already decided I wouldn't like it. Katie is the exact same way as I am. So what should you do? Well, I'm not sure. I'd talk to his doctor again, and possibly get a second opinion as far as any physical problem goes. You also might want to get with an occupational therapist to see if they have any suggestions that would help. If there are no physical problem or developmental disorder, then I think I would stop offerring him baby food. I would come up with foods that are along the same lines as what he will eat texturally. You might try mashing things up or even puree them if you have to in order to get him the nutrition he needs. As you do this slowly introduce other foods into his diet and see how that goes. You could also start offerring him more "solid" foods, and then supplement it with a nutritional drink or something so you know he's getting what he needs that way. What about things like cottage cheese, applesauce, mashed potatoes and such? Even something like mac and cheese or other pastas that aren't hard but are still fairly soft. You might try those if you haven't already. Hopefully he will out grow most of it. Then again, he may end up just being an extremeley picky eater like I am. I never sufferred any ill effects from it. I don't know how, but I didn't! Katie hasn't either. Anyway, I hope this helps even if it just puts youyr mind to rest some. Good luck!

If he is eating the lumpy stage 3 foods then he can eat what you eat. I would use a blender and blend down what I am eating. Will he eat eat mashed potatoes, applesauce, cream corn, mashed yams or sweet potatoes, squash, mashed carrots, oatmeal or cream of wheat? If so what you cook is no different except for the spices.

Baby food is very bland and very sweet and that may be part of the problem.

I started using a blender and the normal table food with my children when they were about 6 months old. We didn't have these problems with any of them.

Some people are more sensitive to textures than other people are and never do develope the desire to eat things like cottage cheese.

You might want to try grinding up whatever you are eating to get him used to the taste and flavor of things you eat. Then gradually make it coarser to add more texture until he is eating normal food. You could also try softer foods than crunchy cheerios or puffs.Things like cooked carrots, green beans, or peaches might a good start. Good Luck!

My first thought was sensory processing disorder as well. My son is 9 and still has issues with food. As a result of his food aversions, he's just at the 50 lb mark. Ask your doctor to send you for an evaluation. Good luck!

I was also going to suggest a sensory disorder. Maybe you should ask your pediatrician to put you in touch with a developmental pediatrician and/or an occupational therapist. Good luck!

As for all the other moms with similar situations who have been told their children will "grow out of it", I really hope you read the rest of these responses and consider a second opinion.

I'd stop the jarred food and start making hyour own. It's better for him anyhow and it will at least get him used to tastes you are making. You can gradually make it more lumpy that way. Throw sweet potaoes, chicken, and corn all in a food processor and make it almost smooth for a while, next batch make it more lumpy, etc...whatever you make for dinner, mash his up a lot for a while and then less and less. He's almost at an age where you can say "eat what I make or don't eat at all", but you've catered to him so long that it will take a little more time as he learns he can't always get exactly what he wants.

Does he try new flavors of baby food in the stage 3 varieties? One way you might try to find out if it is just the taste of the food or the textures that he is having a problem with would be to save some of your stage 3 jars and then "mush" up the foods that you are eating (spaghetti, vegetables) and then try to feed him those. I would not let him see you putting the food in the jar though, toddlers are pretty smart.

I am surprised that your doctor hasn't suggested he be evaluated for First Steps. I know he had the swallow study, but it sounds like he could benefit from some help by a speech therapist. Here's the number for Indiana 1-877-707-5750. Good luck