How Early Can Children Have Eating Disorders

First i want to say good luck on baby number two that is very exciting.I dont have any very useful advice for you but i thought I could comfort you a little bit.I used to work at a daycare a while back and I remember several of the children doing the same thing it always bothered me to.I no that probably doesnt help much but I thought it might make you feel better knowing that other children are doing it.Also I asked about it then and some of the other teachers said it could be from teething.Hope this helps a little

Hi S.,

Yeah, this is not uncommon, if it makes you feel a bit better, my 13 month old is doing the same thing and it seems like this is happening all of a sudden. I am unsure as to where it is originating from but I didn't to get too concerned since my little girl is a clown. We basically tell her no and tap her hand away from her mouth to make her aware of what we are telling her. She has yet to actually make herself regurgitate any of her milk or food - we really don't want to get to that point either. But as far as I have heard this is not uncommon with children this age and I am pretty sure that it isn't a result of an early age food disorder. Good Luck!

I agree with your husband and the others here - it's normal. (but I don't agree w/ smacking the hand of a 15mo)

i think the more you react to it, the more he will think he's doing something funny, or just purely to get a reaction out of you! it's just something he's discovered and repeating. unless he starts losing weight or stops eating i don't think you should be worried. he probably sticks his finger down his throat for the same reason my daughter shoved a raisin up her nose...because she COULD! lol if you are really concerned, take him to his pediatrician! there's no question too stupid if you feel it's a problem

My son (now 2) did the same thing for a while at about the same age. It drove me nuts, too. I just kept saying "no" and gently pulling his hand out of his mouth every time he would do it. It took a few weeks, but he eventually got tired of it. I feel sure it's not related to eating disorders -- a child this age doesn't make any connection between the food they put in their mouths and body image. Like most things with kids, the more you make of it, probably the more he'll want to do it! Try not to sweat it -- it'll most likely pass.

Well I don't think it's an eating disorder. I would have to agree with your husband- children find new things to do everyday and repeat to find out why it happens and if they get a reaction from you they like the attention. I have three and they all did this at some time. My youngest will do this if she's mad or if she wants attention but I don't get mad at her I will tell her you are going to make your sick stop please but in a very calm voice. I take her hand away from her mouth and explain mouths are for eating and the only things that shold go into your mouth is food. Re-Direct him to something else maybe he's bored- give him a pot and wooden spoon to play with or let him help you wash dish or prep cook.

Try not to get upset it will get old and he will soon forget that's the way children are.
Good Luck and have fun this summer,
-L.

my son went throught that stage at about 13 months. he would do it constantly and it worried me but i knew that i was just something new to him. try not to worry about it, he will grow out of it. the more you make a big deal out of it the more he will do it. trust me i went through the exact same issue.

I've never heard of a child that young having an eating disorder. I would contact my doctor and talk with her. Until you can talk with her I would utilize the naughty spot or some other form of discipline to show him that this is not appropriate. He might be doing it for attention that he gets from you and your husband when he does it.

As gross as it is, this is a phase. My 27 month old son went through the same thing. Just don't make a big deal out of it and he will forget about it eventually. Try not to get too frustrated...

DO NOT WORRY! My daughter did the same thing around that age and her Dr. said kids at that age are just playing with their bodies- figuring out how things work and cause and effect. Mine is 7 now and is totally fine. It is a little spooky when it first happens, though. Don't pay attention to it and it will pass.

I remember being in the bathroom at my "headstart" school ( i was 4) with about 3 other little friends of mine, and we were all doing it. The natural gag reflex is funny to kids. Next he'll probably start swallowing the spaghetti halfway down, and pull it back out again. That was always good fun.

I dunno. realy but in my experience of children that age is that they mimick others. Perhaps there is someone in your family? or maybe he just radomly did it once, then said oh this is wierd. For example, I bit my nails once in awhile, so when my four year old picked up was not suprised.
In any case would monitor to see if it is a phase or if it seems like something that happens often seek a doc (ped) right away

He may get some enjoyment out of it but the main thing it did was get your attention. Don't react or give him attention for behaviors you don't want just clean him up and keep going. You can even try redirection when he starts to do it and get him interested in playing or doing something else.

Ok...he cannot have an eating disorder at 15 months. my 18 month old does that sometimes. He just does it b/c it's something different and it makes mom and dad pay attention to me. At this age they don't know their reflection in the mirror is actually them if that makes sense. Eating disorders are mostly developed because of the way they view themselves and doesn't happen until later in life and hopefully never will. It's just like them sticking their fingers up their nose and jackin up there. We stopped reinforcing the act and he hasn't done it since that's not to say he won't do it again. My 18 month old did make himself throw up too. Again it's not an eating disorder just something he does to get attention or an act that he found is different.

My 12 month old has been doing the sqme thing for about a month now. I tell him no, and he seems to do it more. Usually at meal times. I hope you get some good advice from other moms that we can both use! Good Luck!

Both of my boys did the same thing aroung the same age that your baby is, I believe it is very normal and the only thing that you can do is keep correcting the child until they stop, and it will stop and then they will learn how to do something else that is very gross.