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My 19 month old still won't eat solid food?

My 19 month old son will only eat if I spoon-feed him jarred baby food, or mush-like food.

He will eat:
- Heinz baby food for 12+ months, (so there are some very soft "chunks," but the food mostly purred mush.)
- Yogurt & Frozen Yogurt
- He drinks 20 oz. of whole milk a day, 10 oz of formula at night, juice and water.

He wont eat:
- Baby crackers or Baby Mmm Mmms
- Food chopped up
- Slices of banana
- ANYTHING :(

He won't eat any other foods, even if they are extremely chopped up.  When I try to feed him something else, he looks at the spoon and can see it is chunkier/different, and immediately refuses.  He pushes the spoon away, shakes his head, panics, sticks out his tongue...  There is no way the food is getting in there.  One odd time, he didn't realize I gave him something different and it got in his mouth.  He immediately looked shocked, and then panicked and vomited everywhere.  It's almost like he is scared/thinks he is going to choke?  

In addition, he doesn't speak any words, just babbles.  I don't know if this could be a clue or a connection...?  A throat problem?  (But how does he swallow some food, then?)

I'm so confused and concerned.  I told his doctor about all of this, but he didn't seem too concerned.  But other people, (like childcare workers,) I've talk too - think it is a major concern.  Which scared me even more.

Any help or insight would be much appreciated.

2 Responses
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267079 tn?1195142970
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
He may need to learn how to chew and swallow food. Some children just do not know how to do it and need to be taught. They need to learn how to chew and shallow food properly; it is not really an instinct behavior like sucking. Has he been evaluated on how to chew food? If not, then suggest getting him evaluated, by going to your MD, and start therapy so he can start to eat regular food. Hoped this helped you.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Thank you very much for your reply.

I think you are right.  He doesn't seem to know how to chew, and that's probably why he is scared.  I will try and find some help for him to learn to chew.
Helpful - 0

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