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Behaviour/development

2 year old can't chew - help

14 replies

jenpatnim · 10/05/2016 10:28

My 2 year old has had feeding issues for a long time, he didn't move on from stage 2 foods until he was about 20 months.

The problem is he doesn't chew, so he rejects any food that requires chewing. He also rejects puréed foods and ready brek.

All he is currently prepared to eat is yoghurt or dairylea spread on bread/ very light toast. He likes soft bread with lots of butter and he loves chocolate.

He will sometimes take a fish finger or a bit of potato waffle but that's it.

He sucks at the food until it dissolves and it takes him ages to eat anything.

He's been referred to a feeding clinic for help but we're at our wit's end. Any ideas of other things we could try him on?

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DoItTooJulia · 10/05/2016 10:31

Oh dear-that sounds stressful for you and not nice for him.

I have no experience in this area but I wondered about avocado? Really soft when ripe. Or those tiny pasta shapes that are meant for minestrone soup?

What's he like with a smoothie or milkshake?

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Fresh01 · 10/05/2016 10:44

There is a thing you can get in the baby section in Tesco. It is a small plastic handle with a plastic mesh pocket attached. You can put bits of fruit or veg in it and they suck and mush it up. Banana works well but wash the mesh straight afterwards or the mesh goes black. Melon and grapes work very well in it, all different types.

Would he suck on sticks of peppers or sticks of cucumber with the skin off.

Grated cheese? Maybe start on a mild cheddar.

Sultanas?

Steamed carrot sticks or steamed brocolli (my youngest calls them trees!)

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DoItTooJulia · 10/05/2016 10:46

Ah, yes a Nuby nibbler. I'd forgotten about those. Fab idea!

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jenpatnim · 10/05/2016 11:27

He had a nibble before and had no interest. We've offered him carrot batons (steamed), broccoli, cucumber, boiled egg, pasta shapes, scrambled egg, bite size bits of chicken, sausage rolls, grated cheese (he will sometimes eat a cheese sandwich but it has to be a slice of cheese) , banana.

If it is on his plate, he ignores it. If you pick it up and offer it to him, he either says No or dismissively waves/pushes your hand away. If you push it, he has a meltdown and won't eat anything at all.

Also won't do soup. Won't let you spoon feed him.

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jenpatnim · 10/05/2016 11:28

Won't even eat chips.

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DoItTooJulia · 10/05/2016 12:04

How does he get food? Is it all milk? Just wondering if there are ways to bulk it out?

What about playing with food? I know it goes against the grain, but my Ds loved to sit in the kitchen with me and mix loads of random and very messy ingredients together. So I might make a loose dough while he's doing it so that he can roll out and shape like play doh. He often are more of the raisins than he played with. Could that work?

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jenpatnim · 10/05/2016 12:39

He takes some milk and dairylea cheese on bread, and yoghurt. That's pretty much it. Somehow he's still in the 90th centile for weight, though.

We do food play. He loves to help prepare food, scrambled egg, pouring milk on cereal, buttering bread etc. he also has a toy cooker and lots of play food and we role play making and eating dinner. He'll pretend but not actually follow through.

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DoItTooJulia · 10/05/2016 12:45

Wow, 90th centile, that's good going on a limited diet.

Are there other issues? Or is it just around food and eating?

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PerspicaciaTick · 10/05/2016 12:53

I'm sure I remember a little girl on House of Tiny Tearaways (??) with a similar issue.
I can remember Tanya Byron sitting in front of a mirror with her biting crisps. Not eating them, just biting and praising and laughing about the crunch and the crumbs. They seemed to be having fun, no pressure to have the food in the girl's mouth, let alone actually eat anything. I think the idea was to get her using her teeth and how that felt rather than mushing food around with her tongue.
Probably talking rubbish, bit it maybe worth seeing if any other professionals use similar techniques.

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PerspicaciaTick · 10/05/2016 12:55

Nb. The adults were biting crisps as well as the girl, showing they enjoyed it and getting her to copy (hence the mirror I think).

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PerspicaciaTick · 10/05/2016 12:59

Sorry, last thing... I think they used quavers or skips so they would melt in the mouth (if a bit snuck) rather than being uncomfortably sharp/hard.

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jenpatnim · 10/05/2016 16:27

Worth a try! His speech and development is good, he's co-ordinated, social and friendly. Normal terrible two tantrums and suchlike, and he's a scamp at bedtime wanting to play.

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PerspicaciaTick · 10/05/2016 19:36

He sounds gorgeous. Food issues cam feel so all-encompassing, it is nice to take a moment and think about all the great bits.

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weloveearlysleeptime · 11/05/2016 09:07

we had the same issue with DD. She would only eat stage 1 pureed stuff till about 18 months, the only other thing she would eat that wasn't pureed were breadsticks! so nothing but puree and yoghurt. it was so frustrating busting out the blender at that age, and even more embarassing when eating out! what changed things was that she started nursery twice a week, and then we discovered that having someone other than mum and dad with mealtimes helped. and of course, "peer pressure' when it came to eating! good luck he sounds a great weight anyhow

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