6 Year Old Scared to Eat After Near-choking Experience

He needs to eat any time he tells you he's hungry.

I will share that my grandson was "that" kid. I owned a child care center and even though the kids were never left alone and never given foods that weren't cut to the specific bite size that age group needs. For instance, 1/4" for toddlers and 1/2" for pre-school age kids. Even with a teacher or me sitting right there and him taking small bites.

But he was that kid that always choked. I'd have him over my arm beating on his back a couple of times per month. He's lucky to be alive.

It's absolutely the scariest thing he's ever had happen.

I suggest you follow his lead. Let him tell you what he wants, to an extent, but try to show him that some foods aren't so much of a choke hazard.

If you want to google foods that are a choke hazard then you can show him that some foods are harder to chew and swallow where others, like the scrambled eggs, are okay and not likely to choke him even if he swallowed them without much chewing.

I'd let him eat pretty much what he'd eat just so he'd have food in him. But that's something you have to decide what you will let him do or not do.

Keep at it. He's got to get hungry enough that it's worth the "risk" of trying, and then he's got to get comfortable with the fact that it's not going to happen again. It'll take some time.

I had something similar happen at work a couple of years ago, I was eating a tootsie pop and bit through when it got almost down to the tootsie roll center, you know? And a chunk of the hard outer candy part went down my windpipe. It was very traumatic. I still can't get that sound out of my head, that was coming out of me as I tried to gasp for air. It was horrible. Two people had to do the Heimlich maneuver on me before it came out. I literally could NOT breathe.

Anyway, I still think of it to this day, and any time I choke the slightest little bit, I remind myself to relax, cough it up, and not freak out. It helps that I know what that feeling is and know that no matter what it feels like, it just needs coughed up. That helps me keep a cool head and not start gasping for air which just sucks it down further. Anyway, at 6 I doubt he would be able to reason it out like that. Just keep in mind that it was probably VERY scary for him - and given some time he will come around. Give him a little extra patience and love right now.

I tend to remind them (when they do something flukey and get scared a bit) that in x amount of years (6 in his case) this has never happened before and likely never will and that you will help him should it ever happen.

When I put it in context like that for my kids, they kind of get that it's really unlikely to happen again. I also say something like "the more you think about it, the more you're not just doing it naturally - and doing something naturally is the best..." (Or something like that).

Just so they know they can let it go. No doubt it scared him a bit so you could just work up to more solid stuff in a day or two but I personally don't cater to my kids when they let their fears get the best of them. I let them be afraid (kids feel what they feel) and I don't try to dismiss it, but I also don't really accommodate fears more than we have to. I try the other route - like you can handle it ... (if he doubts he can chew/swallow properly, at end of day after sitting with him eating you could just say - yup, I've watched you - you've got it down pat.)

Good luck :)

My kids had trouble swallowing pills when they were younger. My son once told me it felt like his throat was closing on him when he tried to swallow it. It took time. I once got really sick from eating some food when I was about 10. Then whenever I tried to eat something similar, it felt like my throat was closing up and I was going to gag. It is a real fear. Yes, it is psychological but real nonetheless. Since it was just a couple days ago, I would keep encouraging him and maybe try to get him to swallow a tiny bite of food. Then larger bites until you get to a normal sized bite. If this is still a problem in a week or so, then maybe the doc can exam him and calm his fears. Does he swallow okay with liquids? If so, then maybe a smoothie a little before bed would help. You could add a protein powder or something to give a little boost of nutrition.

like most things, i'd be sympathetic, but brisk. no coddling.
i WOULD make some concessions this close to the trauma by making him some smoothies or soups to help get him past the initial fear. but while i'd express understanding, i would take care not to be too gooey about it.
'honey, the only way to take care of being hungry is to eat. i'm sorry you got scared- heck, it scared me too! but you learn from it that you need to chew your food thoroughly, and you move on. you can't stay alive unless you eat. how about some banana pudding. no? well, we'll see what sounds good in the morning then.'
don't anxiously watch him 'chewing and chewing' and make a fuss.
khairete
S.

When I was about 10 a cousin I was very close to chocked to death on a piece of chicken. Affected me much like your son, still to this day I eat slow and make sure to chew good. It sux sometimes, but it is what it is. BTW I am 34 now and chocking still scares the heck out of me. I hate swallowing pills but have to everyday as I have MS. I don't know what advice to give you except be understanding and don't push. I know his fear.

I'd wait to see how it goes for a few more days.
He just needs to be reasonably careful while eating (no goofing around) and the only way to easily get around being hungry is to eat.
I wouldn't try to get him to drink shakes or anything like that.
You want him to come around to eating again and not give him a crutch.
Try him on different texture foods, mashed potatoes, jello, PBJ, oatmeal, etc.
Not too much in the way of snacks but I think he'd have a hard time resisting a small serving of potato chips.
If it goes on longer than than a week, take him to your pediatrician and see what they can suggest.
Maybe explaining how chewing and the digestion system works will help him get past his bad experience.

I still have memories of this happening to me as a child, I was maybe 3rd or 4th grade. I got a piece of ice stuck in my throat and it was really painful. I remember chewing my food up and then going to the bathroom and spitting it out, out of fear of choking, sounds like an eating disorder! I remember it going on for months and my mom being really concerned, somehow I just got over it but don't really remember how. I didn't become malnourished or anything, I think I ate a lot of applesauce, yogurt and soup during that time. I'd feed him soft foods like that...cottage cheese, smoothies, oatmeal, soft veggies & fruit and I think he'll just eventually return to eating foods of all consistency.

I would just keep serving him his regular meals (no shakes or changing anything), he will come around. He wont starve so don't worry about that, he will get hungry enough and start to eat again.

If it persists, you may want to ask the pediatrician for a therapist that helps with food issues. What did he choke on and how? Can you acknowledge his fear and empower him to try new things or to try things in smaller bites? I would probably add some Ensure to his meals, but keep trying to encourage him to eat normal food, even if slowly.

I'd take him to the pediatrician if this persists, and have the doctor go through the motions of looking at the throat to be sure there is no damage or inflammation, and have the doctor explain that the choking reflex is not dangerous but is the body's defense against it.

I'd serve real food and no junk, but I agree that a few pretzels or potato chips might be tempting. Keep in mind that Cheerios are usually the first solid foods given to babies - they pretty much dissolve in saliva. So do those (not the sugary ones, just the plain ones) and scrambled eggs and oatmeal for breakfast, maybe with a banana on it. Lunch can be yogurt and PB&J and soup with well-cooked vegetables, dinner can include mashed potatoes but you could increase the nutrition by using sweet potatoes. Beans and rice are pretty small and easy to mash in the mouth. Small meatballs and pasta are good too - in fact, if he's a picky eater anyway, this is a good time to put in some pureed vegetables and other things into regular food (squash into mac & cheese, tofu in ricotta or cottage cheese that then go into lasagna, food-processed mushrooms in the red sauce, and so on.

I'd do as much of this for the whole family as you can so he doesn't get entirely used to special meals for only him. So everyone can eat a nice veggie omelet or frittata, you know? Everyone can eat a crockpot stew or soup that makes everything soft. But what little he eats needs to be nutritious. But a plate of cookies on the table for dessert - that might be just what he's craving. He can also learn to make himself something soft - PB&J, yogurt with wheat germ in it, etc. At 6, he'll probably get real tired of this real soon.

You have to find a balance between taking his anxiety seriously but stop short of totally catering to his demands or punishing him by not letting him have anything at all that's not on the family menu.

If it persists, I agree he needs to see a therapist to help him past the anxiety from what seems, to him, like trauma.

Just keep trying ....kids are resilient! He will come around! I agree not to start making shakes and stuff for him. Also, is it possible whatever he choked on scratched his throat a little and he is having some discomfort when he swallows? Just a thought.....