16 months & solids - when does it become an issue of concern?

[candicebullard]

Hi all,

DS is 16 months and will not eat solids. I've given him a lonnnng list of finger foods and he will rarely put anything in his mouth. If he does, he will munch on it for a few seconds and then spit it out. I have even found chewed up raisins behind the couch when I thought he had eaten them! I've been feeding him pureed foods as I know he must be hungry and I don't want him to not sleep well due to hunger. Should I be concerned? I thought by now he wouldn't be eating ANY purees. He's having milk morning and night, between 12 - 15 ounces per day. He's teething, but when are they not?! He's working on the 16th tooth right now. All we'll have left are those back molars.

Please help! Any ideas? I'm stressing!

Some things I've already tried offering:
steamed veg
raw veg
all different kinds of fruits
pastas
grilled cheese sandwich
avocado
raisins
dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries
peanut butter toast
scrambled eggs

[Lemonthyme]

I think at 16 months it's worth talking to a health professional.  A health visitor in the UK or a doctor outside the UK.  Thin purees are really meant for when people routinely weaned their babies at 4 months old and texture and finger foods are good to help kids develop speech and they need a bit more nutrition at this age.

That all said, I know it's easy for me to say but don't stress.  He will pick up on your stress and that might make things worse.  I'd try giving some painkillers 1 hour before food to see if that helps.  Offer food that you are eating too.  Allow him to self feed but above all, I'd really get some help.  Nothing wrong with asking for help and it doesn't mean you've done a bad job at all.  In fact, I suspect with later weaning nowadays that this will become more and more common. 

[creations]

have you tried giving exactly the same meal but not pureed?  So rather than a different flavour as a finger food it is the same flavour?
Maybe try using the puree as a spread on toast fingers or mixed through large pasta shapes so there is a recognisable flavour and texture along with the finger food?

Do you eat at the same time and exactly the same food?  That can help.

[candicebullard]

Okay, thanks you guys. I will give your suggestions a try, for sure! Hopefully we can get him moving in the right direction.