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What to do with an 11 year old that takes an hour to eat

Elizabeth - posted on 08/20/2012 ( 2 moms have responded )

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40

My son is 11 years old and his whole life he has had a hard time with eating food in a normal period of time. It started when he was a baby. He refused finger foods and so wouldn't eat the chunkier baby foods at the normal time. He was on baby food, mostly pureed until he was 18 months and then after that he was very picky. I had to serve the same thing everyday. He was in early intervention and had a behavioral therapist and occupational therapist. Then he got in head start and though he has made improvements over the years where he will eat whatever is in front of him, but he eats them slowly. Last night I made pork steak and gave him a very small portion and it took him an hour. We have determined he chews too long before swallowing. He's seen a counselor, but it didn't really help. She said to set a limit and then thats it, but it didn't fix it. Anyone know what we can to get him to not be afraid of choking if he chews less?

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Elizabeth - posted on 09/07/2012

17

40

I've told countless doctors over the years and recently she just said he's a sensory child and that was all she said. We've tried everything from giving him smaller portions and it takes him a half hour or longer to eat only 3 ounces of meat. He says he likes meat that chicken is his favorite, but last night he had a chicken wing and everyone was done with their plates when he was still eating his chicken and thats also including our 18 month old baby that is teething. We've cut his food into tiny bits, mashed it up, turned it into liquid even. Given him baby food, taking away his books, movies, video games, grounding him, spanking him, sending him to bed without supper. We've consulted a therapist, told doctors, but never heard of swallowing tests. He never choked, but when he was a baby and old enough for chunky food he couldn't do it and gagged every time. This was from about 9 months to 18 months he had issues. He never took to finger foods and that would have set him to be able to handle the chunky 3rd foods when he needed to do that. My baby is 18 months now and I did the same things with her, but the difference was she was able to do the finger foods. My son that is 11 developed texture issues as a result, but when I told doctors he choked they said to just wait and try again. That never worked. He was on pureed baby foods until he was 18 months old and then has been picky over the years and now he is slow. It takes him like 3 minutes to chew one bite.

Patricia - posted on 08/23/2012

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Has he ever been to a doctor to do swallowing tests? Sounds like their is more going on here. Maybe he choked and is afraid? Do you cut his food in tiny bites?

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