2 yr old getting food stuck in his mouth

[Lexiejack]

Bit strange but my 2 yr old DS keeps getting bits of food stuck in his mouth around his teeth, on his tounge and on roof of his mouth. He's getting very distressed and flapping his hands about, crying hysterically and refusing to drink. Any ideas? He has huge food issues anyway and barely eats

[cece]

Just a thought but is he getting a lot of attention when he does this?

[Lexiejack]

Not really sounds quite bad. I sit him down try to stop him flapping look to see if I can get the food without him gagging then try to get him to drink. If he won't drink I tell him he needs to to get the food out and that's about it.

[cece]

Hmmm difficult but that does seem quite a lot of attention to me. What would he do if you ignored him when he does this?

You say he has food issues - what else does he do/not do?

[Lexiejack]

Will ignore anything like cottage pie, spag Bol, proper food and occasionally pick at turkey jetters but really it's cause for celebration if he'll attempt even a bite of any meal. Breadsticks and biscuits usually no problems but even not letting him have snacks doesn't make him eat meals. He'd just sit there and work himself up til he was hyperventilating I think if I just left him. Will try next time it happens though!

[cece]

If he is hungry he will eat it. If he refuses to eat, remove food/palte without comment, give no snacks and try again at the next meal.

DS2 and DD sometimes still skip a meal or eat only a couple of mouthfuls. DD is now 10 and hasn't starved to death yet! They just have small apetites, but when they are hungry they eat very well!

[BlueArmyGirl]

Not rtying to be alarmist or anything but are there any physical issues with his eating i.e. moving the food around his mouth? If so, could be worth asking for a specialist feeding assesment by a speech and language therapist.

[Lexiejack]

We did consider this but since he was a newborn he 's never fed well he had reflux and since then he's never really eaten. At 2 he weighs 21lb!! Spoke to health visitors, nurses and Dr's and all they suggest is putting vitamins in his food. That would be lovely if he 'd eat it to begin with!!! Lol and I know it's not my cooking as 1 yr old DD doesn't stop eating!!! They're even in the same sized clothes!

[BlueArmyGirl]

I would consider asking for a specialist SLT assesment if it were me - at the end of the day they either say 'yes, there are some issues' in which case you can start dealing with it or they say 'no, it's nothing to do with feeding' in which case you explore another avenue. Nothing lost really. :)

[BlueArmyGirl]

Is it possible that the refulx was so bad that it has given him some 'issues' with food? If this is the case it could be worth seeing a child psychologist. Again, I don't meant to seem dramatic but it's been useful for a couple of families I know.