16 Month Old Diagnosed with "Oral Aversion" and Not Eating Solid Foods

I am a speech-language pathologist who used to work in EI. Hopefully you have either an OT or SLP working with your son. Sometimes I would try letting kids play with food on their tray, make things with it...with no pressure to try it. Eventually you can encourage him to "kiss the food good-bye" just as a low pressure way to get it towards his lips. Start with one or two foods to play with as to not overwhelm him. It can be a slow process but try not to let it become a battle of wills. Eating should be fun for everyone. Hope this helps a little.

I am raising my grand daughter, who will be 3 in July. She just starting eating "family food" about 3 months ago. Before that, she would have the same problems listed in the original post. I believe people panic un-necessarily, when children mature at different rates and rates that aren't on someone's chart!!

She is smart, healthy(been on goat's milk since birth) and only starting talking(non-stop) in January. She has had no intervention. We let her grow at her own rate and mature without the help of any institution.

Try not to over react and force changes. He is still a baby and he is on his own schedule. Let him grow and develop on his timetable.

hi C.,
My son now 8 had an oral aversion. Have you tried senting chewable toys? Therapro in Framingham has some great items you can buy they have a website http://www.theraproducts.If you want to contact off list that is ok. L.

If early intervention isn't helping it may be time to step it up and get a referral to speech and/or occupational therapy. The speech therapist can work with oral motor control and musculature and the OT can work on sensory issues around the mouth (stimulating with ice, different flavors on a mouth stick, textures, etc). Speak with your pediatrician to get the referral.

Hi!

My 5 yr old son is mild/moderately autistic and has had food issues since he was introduced to solids. You are doing EVERYTHING right! Jack still perfers smooth foods but we've introduced several meltables and we are making progress.( He loves Hostess Donettes, Graham Crackers & Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies they all disintegrate well!) OTA Wakefield does have feeding programs and incredible therapists. I wish I had known about EI when Jack first started having problems! No one had ever heard of the issues he had with food but you've started so early that you should be able to overcome this aversion. Just keep offering your son new foods. They say it can take 20+ times before a new food will be accepted. Typical toddlers also go through a 'favorites' stage so it could be that,too. When he's totally comfortable he'll move on. Just hang in there! : )

Barb

i can totally relate! my son has low tone, and all kinds of sensory aversions in his mouth! people thought i was being overly cautious with him - but they didn't understand that he couldn't eat certain things - he would gag, choke and was unable to do it!! it was really frustrating and scary. the thing that i would strongly suggest to you is to get him into occupational therapy (o/t) now!!! do not wait! there are all kinds of wonderful things that they can do to help. you just need to make sure that they have special training and experience with children with oral motor and sensitivity issues. i also purchased a lot of great resources to use at home to help. here's the website i went to - www.therapyshoppe.com. let me know if you have any questions. and just know that it does get better - but you need to start treatment asap!
take care
J.
ps - you might also have to do speech therapy (we did).

I have worked with a ton of toddlers with oral motor issues and food aversions. I would recommend looking into books like, "Just take a Bite!". Also, you may want to consider a private oral evaluation at Occupational Therapy Associates in Wakefield/Watertown - they have feeding specialists and if insurance will cover it, it's a great supplement to Early Intervention.
M.

I feel for you...my son who is now 21 months old had horrible reflux and was particularly bad between 7-9 months. We had a really hard time getting him on food, but fortunately for us it was short lived and by 14 months or so he seemed to be a much better eater. My question is, is his reflux adequately treated because once we got my son on the right medications he stopped gagging so much. He still has some trouble with certain textures though. I would cut things in long strips and allow his to gage how much he bite off...the more control over size seemed better for him. Just keep introducing things often and hopefully he will slowly get better. I don't have a lot to offer other then to say I know how difficult that can be at meal time. He will eventually eat. Good Luck

I imagine you are mostly worried that he isn't getting enough nutrients. I would try smoothies. You can pack a ton of protein, carbs and fruits and veggies into them and if they are blended well - they can go in a sippy cup or be drunk through a straw. I would also try introducing soups, potatoes and dips as a way to introduce him to other foods. You don't even need to talk to him about it. If you eat at the table together, just put some kind of nut butter or dip on your plate and dip your carrots, crackers, or whatever he does eat into it. See if he takes any interest. Good luck.

Hi C.
Lots of kids just go through that picky eater stage about the same age as your son anyway so maybe it could just be that. I remember my son wanted nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches during one one of those times so thats what I made him...all day....every day!!! :) But he grew out of it and is a typical teenage eater now. You know the kind...everything you make is gross and disgusting and they are "NOT going to eat it".

I would just keep trying to introduce new things to your son small bits at a time and let him explore them on his own. He seems to be eating all finger food so maybe he just loves to feed himself. I really wouldn't worry too much. I think we all tend to compare our kids and get overly concerned when our child isn't doing something that a friend's child is doing at the same age. Kids all develop at different rates and I think as parents we sometimes forget that.

I would highly suggest an evaluation with an Occupational Therapist who is a feeding specialist. There is a really good one in the Haverhill, MA area if that's close enough for you, I can get you her name if you'd like. Your little one needs some oral motor desensitization techniques to help him accept new foods more easily and to help make it so eating doesn't become a battle. It's important to address this, it is a sensory system malfunction, but it can be successfully managed and overcome!