10 Month Old Choking on Solids

V.,
I agree with Allison, you might talk to your ped about a swallow study just to see if that might be the cause. If that is done and you need help (therapy) you can call 800-628-5115 for your local ECI program that have therapists to help you with these kinds of things. You should rule out any medical concerns first though.
J.

My daughter too took awhile to be able to eat without choking on things the same way, even those little puffs, as she always just tried to swallow them like milk and regular baby food. It took her quite some time to realize she had to CHEW her food and how to do it. We tried to show her with putting it in our mouths and I don't know how to explain it besides saying over-chewing maybe where she could see what we were doing. Then like the other mom said one day a light bulb just kinda went off. But I think getting a second opinion like the other mom said is also a good idea probably just in case. :) Good luck!

I think the throwing up part might be cause for concern. My baby has GERD, or reflux, and those symptoms sound pretty close to ours. I'd suggest pushing the issue further with your pediatrician, and see if the can send orders to the Rehabilitation Center at Presby Plano. There's a therapist there, Robynne Elkin, who deals with this issue day in & day out, and can assess your son, even giving him a swallow test if warranted. We're getting ready to have a swallow test ourselves in the next week or so. The last thing you want is to let something go undiagnosed. It may be nothing, but if you're like me, you know your child, & it never hurts to rule out something that can be easily treated (which this can.) Good luck! You're definitely right to question & push for answers!!
J.

Hi V.,
Since you have talked with your pedi, it may be a time thing. My first child was a lot like this. She choked up until about 11 months old and then it was like a light bulb went off for her and she was fine with just about everything...canned veggies, crackers, etc. My second child, she could eat table foods at seven months so it may be just an independent child thing...

K.

We started my son on very thin baby cereal (fed by spoon) first and slowly thickened it. Then we started on stage one foods for a while and so on. We gave him a while between stages before changing to the next and he did really well with it.

What does your ped say? I trust you've asked him/her about this? In my not-so-medical opinion, this could be anything from a texture issue (maybe a sensory integration problem) to a physiological issue. My nephew had an issue at birth where his trachea was fused to his esophagus, which required immediate surgery. Now, he has some issues swallowing, and can asperate liquids into his lungs. He's gone through a few swallow studies to see if he's swallowing normally. The swallow studies aren't fun, but your son may need one to rule out any issues with his innerworkings.

I've known people whose kids had sensory integration issues that just refused to eat solids, and ate baby food for about 2 years. It took some therapy to get them to eat.

(NOTE! I just realized you said your ped passes this off. I'd definitely get a second opinion!)

My son is almost one and he still does this and he has SIX teeth!! I also know a few other moms who have babies who do this. I think it's a bit more common than we know. Anyway, my pedi isn't worried as long as he's getting enough food. Your son will eat chunky food when he's ready. I just feed my son two stage 2 foods at each meal so he's getting a good amount but there's no chunkiness. I've also slowly started introducing him to chunks by giving him table food, which has more flavor. If it persists, you could talk to your pedi and see what they recommend, but I doubt it's anything more than his personal preference right now. I would think if it was anything to do with his swallowing, you would've seen problems before now.