Preschooler gagging at bodily fluids/food issues

[MonkeyfaceThereturn]

My 3, almost 4 year old has ishooos.

She's a lovely, kind, intelligent little thing. I have a 10 and 12 year old too, so she's used to being around older kids. As a result she really struggles to play with who she calls 'babies', i.e her peers at playgroup.

She has the most sensitive gag reflex I've ever seen. She point blank refuses to eat at birthday parties/friends houses. If she sees or hears anyone chew, she physically recoils and heaves. Same with runny noses. Dropped her off at playgroup this morning and a child had a runny nose. She went white and silent and started heaving. Smells have the same effect.

As far as I know, she's not scared of being sick as she's had bugs and we manage fine. She eats alone at home, I thought it was food fussiness for a long time but now I think it's a fear of other people being 'gross'.

What the feck do I do?!

My youngest was like this! I think you just need to ride it out. She is the youngest of 4. She used to gag at the swimming pool - smell of chlorine - so we had to give up lessons. Hated babies with runny noses. She's thrown up at friends houses - when friend has been chewing food with mouth open. I think it took until she was about 8/9 before she could deal with smells etc..

She is now 12 and hates people chewing and is very very sensitive to irritating noises - people clicking pens, rustling etc...just like her dad!

I'd forgotten about it until I read your post, but your dd sounds exactly like mine used to. Sorry, no advice though.

She also used to refuse to use any public toilet due to the smell - even when they were decent ones! It was a bit of a nightmare as she'd just try to hang on.

The irritation at eating is a genuine condition - misophonia. No advice, op, but perhaps it’s because she’s so used to being around older children (less likely to be mucky/noisy/smelly!) that this is a bit of a shock to the system?

My youngest was also like this - though maybe not too quite the same degree. Would gag getting off the potty, and at the sight of any bodily fluids (though oddly enough was still partial to munching their own bogeys). Still is very sensitive to strong smells, or even weak ones - can smell ingredients in meals with surprising accuracy. Couldn't handle the Cubs First Aid evening - even knowing it was lipstick not blood! It is gradually getting better though.

My eldest was like this she even struggled with potty training we quickly moved on to the toilet she sort of grew out of it/ learned to cope and I was suprised ather choice of job it can be a bit messy ! Sorry ive no real advice

Okay, so she might be a weirdo but not an uncommon weirdo

I don't want to drip feed but I have ADHD and similar aversions (from being on yhe spectrum), but in convinced it's not a learnt behaviour as I absolutely shelter her from my views. We're just quite a 'clean' family

It's hard as playgroup judge me on her packed lunches (plain wrap, handful of plain crisps, home made cake), but she can't cope with anything else.

I just want her to have friends and manage at birthday parties etc 😢

The more I think about it, my dd doesn't really eat her lunch at school. She never has done as she says she feels sick - I think it's to do with other people eating. She has always had a very plain packed lunch as I just wanted her to eat something! At preschool it always came home almost untouched.
Dh has misophonia and I'm 100% sure that dc4 does to. I don't know if the smell/gag thing is linked to misophonia or not.

Dd lived on Dairylea sandwiches for 3 years I did ask her nursery then school what they thought about it all but they advised to let herbe and she would adapt which she did. You could speak to her nursery worker about it sometimes fresh eyes can help.

Op - it will get better. I remember certain friends being a bit at my dc4 and thought I was pandering to her issues....until she threw up at their party picnic because a child spat out a chewed up sandwich and then she believed me!

My Dh is really squeemish he reacts to smells and gross stuff.

This sounds exactly like me as a small child.

I wouldn't eat in nursery because children would lick their snot or chew with their mouth open. I remember telling one girl she was disgusting for scratching her bum. I physically avoided her for about a year (I was 5).

At around 7 I did swimming lessons with the school and physically gagged at the amount of dirty skid mark nickers I saw in the changing room it made me feel physically ill.

I'm still terrible for this as an adult... Yet I want to be a midwife

I've just collected her from playgroup and had a chat with her teacher. They know me well and know I'm not the sort of parent to pander to the kids. So I've told them they can either brush it off, or keep on top of nose wiping of other kids. Up to them how much puke they want to deal with 🙈