PDA

View Full Version : 2 year old holding unwanted food in mouth



smurfette
05-03-2013, 01:25 PM
I have never seen this before but one of my Mindees has started this and it is driving me mad! He is a really good eater normally, loves his grub, and used to eat anything you put in front of him but I have seen him do this three times now.. For raisins, oranges and now today apple. He chews and chews but it sits in his cheeks and he will not swallow! No amount of bribery or being cross works! I think he has decided he doesn't like these foods so have stopped giving him raisins and orange, but he has eaten apple before no problem. Mum says he doesn't do it at home but I wonder if she just hasn't noticed, as he sort of conceals it and unless you were looking closely you wouldn't see it! He could sit there for an hour (not keen on letting him down in case he chokes and dont want to encourage him to spit it out in case he thinks this is ok!) and If I tell him to eat up he just chews it but it doesn't leave his mouth

Anyone come across this?! Don't want to give him a complex about food but its very frustrating!!

VeggieSausage
05-03-2013, 01:29 PM
I have a little one who does this sometimes....infuriating isn't it as you can't seem to communicate what you want them to do....I give a drink and sometimes that helps and assume they don't want anything else to eat....

Tinkerbell1979
05-03-2013, 01:34 PM
I have a little one who does the same, all foods he's previously loved, I offer a drink which sometimes help then take all other food away.

QualityCare
05-03-2013, 01:39 PM
Has the apple got skin on all 3 foods you have mentioned are all quite tough skinned the child chews the goodness out and is left with a solid mass to swallow which for some children is difficult and gives a fear of choking, its a bit like when a baby first moves onto lumpy food, either stop these things or allow him to spit them out.

Koala
05-03-2013, 01:41 PM
Yes, I've had this, I call it stock piling! and have overcome it with continual instruction, Chew and swallow, chew and swallow, don't let him stock pile it like a hamster.

It is hard work and you get fed up of hearing your own voice but just give a bit at a time saying "chew and swallow" look at him when you tell him, be firm but fair but don't provide additional 'attention' for this behaviour, watch him when he puts it in his mouth, "chew and swallow" you do it too, you will get there eventually.

Congratulate other children on doing it and he may seek the attention you give to them as sometimes adverse behavior is a craving for attention and he is getting more of your attention because he is 'stock piling'.

Also try reverse psychology - give problem foods to others and him something different, he may change his mind then.

The secret is don't let it get you down, it's not worth it, but it sounds like he is in the process of a controlling phase. We've all been there :panic:

Good luck

mama2three
05-03-2013, 01:46 PM
I certainly wouldnt be allowing him to spit the skin etc out.
I agree with Koala . I would offer smaller chunks and just a little on a plate to be eaten one at a time - chewed and swallowed - before another is taken. It happens when they 'stockpile' the 'chewy' bits , skin etc and once there is a larger amount it really is difficult for them to swallow it - though a drink can help. Good luck x

singingcactus
05-03-2013, 01:54 PM
Can you not just get him to spit it out into the bin? Sounds like he is having a little problem right now with swallowing certain things, so offer him a polite alternative. He'll either get over it, or he will have a way of discreetly and politely dealing with it. No big deal really. :)

hectors house
05-03-2013, 02:16 PM
A childminding friend of mine, once collected child from Nursery at 3.30 pm and discovered that mindee still had pieces of meat in her mouth from lunch time 3 hours previously!

I have a mindee who used to be a fantastic eater, right from a baby she wouldn't chew things would just put spoonful in mouth and swallow - now she has got very difficult with eating beef (not minced beef like spag bol) but beef like beef stew, I cook it in the oven or do it in pressure cooker until it just flakes apart - even the 14 month old with only a few teeth can manage it, but this mindee nearly 3, now just chews it until it is a big lump of like paste texture. I try not to serve it up on the days she comes, but occasionally I have to or the others miss out on stew.

jackie 7
05-03-2013, 02:20 PM
I just love hamster children. I have 2 2 year olds who never learned to chew properly. They are so precious that their poor mouth can't cope with chewing. Perhaps you could chew the food for them and feed them like a bird? Seriously what I do is let them chew and when the others are finished give them a biscuit. Makes the others hurry up.

Koala
05-03-2013, 02:23 PM
I just love hamster children. I have 2 2 year olds who never learned to chew properly. They are so precious that their poor mouth can't cope with chewing. Perhaps you could chew the food for them and feed them like a bird? Seriously what I do is let them chew and when the others are finished give them a biscuit. Makes the others hurry up.


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

I think I just wee'd a bit!

TNT
05-03-2013, 02:28 PM
My own 2 year old recently went through this phase, alongside refusing to eat his dinner with the others at the table and messing about at meal times. He was testing the boundaries and it didint matter what it was he would do it with his favourite foods too.
With the 'hamstering' I just stopped making a big deal out of it, got him to spit it in the bin and carried on. It worked ater a few weeks.

loocyloo
05-03-2013, 02:29 PM
i've got siblings ... the older one did it,and now the younger one ( who is now the same age the older one was when they did it ) does it! LO also fills his mouth with spoonful after spoonful of food before even starting to chew.

older mindee had been encouraged to spit out by dad, but actually didn't chew AT ALL! would just hold food in mouth and then spit out! we worked on small mouthfuls ( removing VERY chewy bits ) and got there. little mindee is encouraged to show us an 'empty mouth' before putting more food in! and also, i find ... seeing pudding, or something LO loves on the table does seem to focus the mind on eating! :D

smurfette
05-03-2013, 03:53 PM
Thanks all. Good to know I am not alone!!! He definitely isn't having a problem with it, I feel it is a control thing but you may be right maybe he doesn't like the texture or taste of the skin, I just felt letting him spit it out may lead to other problems! I did try and bribe him with his soother today as it was nap time but it didnt hurry him up at all! Maybe a biscuit will help focus the mind!!

doris127
05-03-2013, 04:02 PM
I had one who used to stockpile food like a hamster too. He had real problems with eating and was underweight so it was a struggle. He would fill up on water rather than eat. After exhausting all the strategies mum and i could think of it was eventually found that he didn't produce enough saliva to help break down the food. He was given medicine - we all called it his eat faster medicine - it helped a bit but then he'd established an eating habit that was a real struggle to overcome! I had him for 8 years - and we all got used to it!

smurfette
11-03-2013, 10:56 AM
Thanks all glad I am not alone! Will try and ignore it, and will take peel off apple see if it helps!