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Behaviour/development

Eating mud

4 replies

melmog · 18/06/2009 13:05

Can anyone help? I'm sure it's normal for babies/toddlers to put all sorts in their mouth but I think this might be a bit odd?
Dd2 (15months) has always got something nasty in her mouth. She sat in the garden with clods of earth at the weekend and couldn't get it into her mouth quick enough. She was swallowing it and cried when I cleaned her up and moved her away.
She's also been chewing the fake fire bricks (have a fire guard now). I mean actually taking chucks off,chewing and swallowing them.
She has at least 5 teeth coming through at the moment so don't know if that could have anything to do with it?
I understand her putting things in her mouth, tasting them or chewing them. It's the actual eating that worries me!
Anyone had anything similar? Do you think it could be a deficiency in her diet?

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bamboobutton · 18/06/2009 13:09

same with my 15mo DS.

has she had snails in her mouth yet that's ds's favourite.

i thinks eating mud is just something toddlers do.

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melmog · 18/06/2009 13:12

Oooh, not yet. Will finish my lunch later I think!
Glad it's not just her then.
Pulling a bit of sausage out of her mouth that she's found under the high chair with a few of my hairs caught up in it as I type.

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HecatesTwopenceworth · 18/06/2009 13:14

could be teething, could be exploring - babies explore with their mouths! - could be for fun might be pica (although at 15 months she's maybe too young because it is the eating of non food items after the age when it is quite normal to stick everything in your gob!).

Impossible to say and irresponsible to try to 'diagnose'. If you are concerned, then best to go to a gp, rule out vitimin / mineral deficiency or something.

mine have eaten slugs, snails, cat litter, cat food, newspaper, mud... and they are fine. Not done them any harm.

If she is eating a lot of non-food items on regular basis, it does no harm to have her checked over.

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melmog · 18/06/2009 13:19

Thanks Hecates.Seeing hv next week so will ask her.
You may be right about the "fun" aspect as she does wait for me to see her sometimes then shovel whatever it is into her mouth with a beaming smile.