2.5 Year Old Not Swallowing Food

My 2 year old does the same thing.

I've chalked it up to "just another one of those crazy 2 year old things." There are a lot of them.

I haven't made a battle out of it though if he does spit out more than 2 bites, without actually swallowing in between, I take his plate away.

And like you, he mostly does it at dinner. He's a great breakfast and lunch eater but with dinner he's always been so-so. I've wondered if it's because he thinks he should eat, but he's really not hungry. Or he wants the taste, but doesn't want to be too full. Kids are better at paying attention to their bodies hunger cues than we are!

Good luck!

Hi JR,

It sounds to me like he is teething. Once a baby starts teething as early as 3 months old, they could be literally teething until they are three.

My daughter would do that with food that had a chewier texture like chicken, or meat. She would chew on the food for a while (5-10 minutes) and then spit it out. It was food she liked, but wasn't hungry - she was relieving the pressure on her gums from the teething.

Good luck, and I wouldn't worry. Just keep an eye on it after teething years if it continues.

L.

I suggest that this is one of those things that you just cannot control and that if you stop paying attention to it he'll eventually stop doing it. At 2.5 he's learning about his world and will try out many different things. He most likely started out chewing his food for longer lengths of time because he liked the way it felt or tasted or something else that interested him. Now, his chewing has become a source of attention from you. Now he's trying to figure something else out. He may be wondering, on an unconscious level, why you're so interested and focused on his chewing. He is hard wired to question and explore. Let him do it.

It's fair to say no desert until you've finished dinner, as long as you've given him a reasonable amount to eat. My daughter handles the not finishing dinner part by saying, you can have some ice cream after you've had 3 more bites. This gives the child some control. Then pay no more attention to him and his chewing. When he asks for the ice cream, say, oh,oh, you haven't finished dinner or perhaps, you can have it after you eat 3 more bites but do not mention that he has food in his mouth.

If ice cream is not on the menu don't use it as a bribe. Bribes are another way of being in control. You want to share control when it's appropriate with your child.

You do not want to get into power struggles over food. Doing so has the potential of creating long term negative issues around food. Ignore the chewing. It really is no big deal.

Have you had his tonsils/throat checked? Maybe it hurts sometimes to swallow, yes you said he does swallow most of the time but children will sometimes do things they don't want to because of the reward, so he may be focused on the reward and what a big deal it is when he swallows. If it is not a health issue then it sounds like a control issue, I have a 7 and 4 year old and both were (who am I kidding..still are) very independent and wanted control over their bodies...getting dressed, brushing teeth, putting shoes on, feeding themselves. So maybe this is just something he realizes he has complete control over, and it makes it more satisfying to know how much of a reaction he gets from his mommy and daddy. I would say if there is absolutely not a health issue....ignore him. He WILL eat if when he gets hungry. Good Luck!

Don't be scared it is normal my now twelve year old and my now three year old did it and I have other relatives who's children have done it. I have one little cousin who we would have to check his mouth because he would just store food in it like a chimpmunk. he will grow out of it

innability to swallow food can be caused by a deficiency in magnesium or iron. I would NOT supplement iron without getting a positive anemia test first- Iron can be toxic to children because it doesn't leave the tissue easily and can quickly build up to toxic levels.

Magnesium is easily supplemented and extra is eliminated. Magnesium malate is a good choice, but magnesium is a natural laxitive, so it could cause loose stool. Another form is magnesium oil which is rubbed on the skin and absorbed by the cells transdermally.

Difficulty swallowing can also be caused by an excessively dry mouth- low saliva. (xerostomia) Side effects of many drugs cause zerostomia so if he is on any medication that could be a cause. Or a disorder of the salivary glands.

I would give him a few minutes to swallow. If he does not, meal time is
over. End of discussion. It seems like it is a control issue. If he goes
to bed without dinner, so be it. He will not starve.

Hum....sounds like a control/power struggle/push your buttons type behavior. He knows it bothers you so he keeps doing it, longer and longer till you crack! lol Tell him once to swallow his food and then ignore him after that. No bribes of juice or ice cream either. Just plain and simple, swallow and move on, don't swallow and go hungry. If after 15 mins of not swallowing, make him spit out the food and his meal is finished till next meal time. No snacks in between, no giving him his plate back, etc. This may sound cruel but know that no child will let themselves starve either.

You and his dad need to establish the rules at the table when the meal starts to. Explain to him that if he doesn't swallow his food, he will be made to spit it out and he won't be able to finish eating his dinner. If he doesn't get to finish his dinner, he won't get any dessert/snack either. Don't expect him to follow this rule the first, second or even third time!! He will push the limit to see if you guys mean business. Once he sees that you are serious about this, he should come around and go back to eating and swallowing like he should. You as parents need to stand firm and don't give in to the whining or crying either!!

Good luck
S.

Food is very important to parents, but not children UNTIL it becomes an issue and THEN they realize the power they have over Mom & Dad. What fun that is!!! Try to ignore him and stop having dessert. I dont know why we are all in the habit of having a sweet after a meal, but I stopped doing it years ago. My mother always used dessert as a bribe and when I had children I realized this is where I got my bad eating habits from and stopped having dessert. We had fruit or a sweet a couple of hours after dinner as a snack before bed or whatever. If you stop the dessert you well no longer have to bribe him and when you and hubby are done eating so is he. Let him spit out his cud and take the rest of the food away. No comment, begging or scolding. It just is what it is. Oh DH you are hungry? Oh well. and let it go. He will soon learn and he will NOT starve in the meantime.