Strong Gag Reflex - Does Your Toddler Have One??

[Spectra]

My son seems to have a strong gag reflex and I don't know how concerned I should be.  I knew from the beginning he had this problem, my daughter never had any feeding issues.  When I started solids at 6 months he would gag on the pureed food, and then vomit, so I held off for another month.  Slowly he got better, would vomit on the textured purees like peas and beans, but the other stuff he could now handle.  But now he is 15 months.  I cook my own veggies to get him use to the texture, but I still have to mix in 2-3 tbsp of jarred pureed food too to smooth the food out more.  Even then he gags and vomits up all his food sometimes, if he happens to get a bigger piece of that overly cooked sweet potato.

On top of this he does not feed himself.  He will take the bread and rice rusks and put them in his mouth, and will even bite them.  But most of the time he spits out the chunks of food he has bitten, making this nasty look on his face.  The other times he may accidently get this piece of bread crumb further in his mouth and he ends up gagging yet again.

Should I be concerned?? I don't know what more to do.  I mean yes he's better than he was 6 months ago, but he doesn't seem to be making much progress right now.  It doesn't help that he still doesn't have any molars yet, though he does do the "chewing action", so at least I know he gets it.

Has anyone else have experience with this or any advice?

[aidliz]

Ds had a similar issue.  He gaged on anything lumpy...he never wanted to try new foods as a baby.  He has an oral sensory.  He is 5 and still has issues and he has gone through therapy.  He will eats mostly carbs, everything bagels..only, waffles, dry cereal...no milk, or mixing of anything.  french fries and reciently chicken nuggets, only the fast food nuggets. .  He has receintly started eating grapes and ham which is a huge deal...I mean huge.  He wont try a ham sandwich even though he likes bread and ham.  I have come to realize he is afraid and can not eat certain things.  It is something I never thought I would have to deal with from the start. 

He could just need to get used to the new textures and be fine in a few months.  Y could talk to your doctor and stress your concern and have him evaluated to get some tharapy for him.  Your son is at a great age to address this, ds didnt get therape for eating untill he was 2.5, he was still eating babyfood at the age of 2, he wouldnt eat anything else.  My doctors dismissed his issue early on and I wish I was more persistant. 

Did he have reflux...many children with reflux can be delayed with eating bc they associate eating with discomfort.

[Spectra]

What kind of therapy is this?  What is it called?

My son doesn't have reflux, but he does have many food allergies.

[aidliz]

Around here it is hard to find people who specialize in feeding for children.  A speech pathologist with training in feeding is what you would have to look into.  We have gone to many different therapists...some say try this broccoli and you can have a cookie.  If they do this leave.  Others have tried desecitizing his mouth before each meal.  others have tried offering the same thing over and over. His ped...at the time and many other doctors have suggested starvation..."you know a baby wont let himself starve"  yes..he will.  I did try this, out of despiration, it didnt work and I felt like crap for the day, I caved at 3pm.   Unfortunately nothing worked for us, and just now at 5 he is willing to try new foods.  He is now able to understand if he doesnt eat good foods he wont be strong and healthy. Ds didnt have reflux or allergies, he just cant/wont try different textures.  So I really dont have any good advice for you...sorry.  But check into a speech pathologist, or ask the allergy doctor for one.  I think it is common for children with allergies to have some eating issues.

He is allowing the food to enter his mouth which is a good thing.  With ds if I tried to sneek something in his food he would spit it out and not eat another bite, untill I offered him a "safe" food.  For ds I have realized food with different textures is something he cant tollerate, eating a piece of pasta to him would be like me eating a worm...

I hope someone else has some good advice for you.

[Spectra]

Thanks aidliz!  Your information was helpful.  I think I will bring it up with the pediatric dietitian I saw when I saw the allergist.  She said I can e-mail her about anything, so I think I will.  Thanks!

[Jimbob]

It would be a good idea to try and get therapy now. James was the same with food at your ds's age and the medical profession said he was just being fussy. When James then refused to eat anything apart from meocate and raisins after being ill they said he had associated food with all the allergic reactions he had experienced. They alsoo said that it would pass and to be patient. Thhat was nearly 2 years ago and we are not much further and they still are not refering James for therapy. We are getting more help from the teachers at nursery than we are from doctors. We have made some progress this week he is now taken tiny bites from an apple slice, though he is gagging sometimes. After personal experience with this I would say try and get help asap and be persistent. I hope you get better luck than we have upto now.

Kelly

[em_here]

My brother had these symtoms of a strong gag reflex, turned out he had overly large tonsils, Im sure its not that but something to add to the wonderful info u already have

[Spectra]

Thanks to both of you!  I think I will mention both when I take him to the doctor for his shots in a week.

[N Lou]

My DS has a sensitive gag reflex.  He was on purees till well past a year and was never really one for finger food.  He's 4.5 years old now and still gags.  Its not a major problem really, things just take a little longer for him to get used to. 
He has no food fads, and he eats pretty much anything now.  There are a few things that he just really doesn't like though and these will make him gag and sometimes vomit.
If you are worried then definately speak to your paed but just wanted to say that its not necessarily signalling a problem, kwim?

[Spectra]

Yes, I hope it really is nothing to fret over.  Thanks!

[aidliz]

I hope the dietition can give you some help, and knows of a good speech pathologist.  It sounds wierd that a speech therepist would be needed in this case, but they know about oral sensetivities.

It could be just a phase but as pp said now is the time to act, he is at a great age.  If you know in your gut there is an issue, dont take no for an answer, tell them he needs help.  Many doctors dont understand this issue so they just pass it off and say it will pass, it may in some cases but in my ds case it is still a huge issue at the age of 5.  We are on our 3rd pediatrition and I love her.  She is the only one who took the time to research Aidans issue and understands it to  a point.  He is big 4ft 1inch and 62 lbs so the other docs felt he wasnt underweight so there wasn't that big of an issue.

Something you could do for the next week is make a food journal of what he eats for each meal and how he reacted, even video tape him eating so they SEE what is going on.