Food behaviours- making themselves sick

[LilyLilacanna]

My son has been a picky/limited eater since he was about 2 but he does this thing where if he is eating something for example pizza and he is finished he wants the plate or the extra food taken away immediately. If I don’t take it away where he can’t see it he makes himself gag and then is sick.

He does it with things he doesn’t want to eat either. So the other morning he asked for toast and I made and put it in front of him and he then gags and says actually I’m not hungry and will keep gagging. He might then eventually go back and eat it!

It’s the strangest thing. It’s like once he’s finished he can’t stand the sight of the food.

is this normal?

I don’t think it is normal, seems it’s more psychological than anything else. I would suggest you take him to the doctors and they’ll probably refer you to SALT.

Behavioural. It’s become a habit. I’m not saying it’s not grounded in a genuine feeling- I also cannot abide a plate of food in front of me after I’m finished eating and I will clear my plate immediately and return to the table to continue chatting to my family when I’m done. The sight and smell of food makes me sick when I feel full.

Don’t make a thing of it. A doctor’s trip is certainly not required as PP suggested. Just understand that it makes him feel sick and remove his plate immediately, or better, teach him to clear his own plate straight away. Ignore the behaviour otherwise and just chat as normal. It’s his problem to work around and you can support him in doing that and not feed any drama around it.