Food Storer

[kimnolan87]

Hi, this is a strange one!


I have a 21 month old who has recently started to not swallow all of her food. She stores it in the bottom of her mouth and can do for at least twenty minutes!

I try and encourage her to chew and swallow and prompt her to drink a lot whilst eating in an attempt to wash the food down, but even this isn't working!

I don't let her go and play until she's swallowed the mouth full, but I really don't know what else to do! She is a good eater when other children are here, especially schoolies, but if it just her, she's doing this almost everytime she's given food!!!

In all my 9 years of experience, I have never come across this before!!!

Please help! Xxx

[WibbleWobble]

Beachgirl29 has one like this....we just keep saying "chewy chew chew" to her (LO is 16 months old)


i used to have one who would fill his mouth to bursting before swallowing but he did at least swallow it!!


no help i know but i will tell Beachy about this post


wibble the unhelpful xx

[QualityCare]

Its very common, give small pieces of food that are fairly soft and don't require much chewing encourage chew, swallow, has it all gone, before allowing more food to be put in the mouth, sometimes a mouth full of water will encourage swallowing as long as the food is not hard or child has a large amount in the mouth (choking hazzard). Once eating starts to get back to normal gradually build back up to normal amounts of food. I had one who did this she would even chew smooth yogurt and then sit with it in her cheek for ages.

[jackie 7]

I had a child/hamster who pouched most of her meal. It was hard work getting her to eat slowly. She also had been allowed to eat as much as she wanted due to low birth weight. She was a workout to lift. The main problem was the parents as they just thought it was cute!!! Unless you have the parents it is very hard work.

[Sarsar3NCH]

I have had a couple of children do this but it is usually either meat or fruit skins. I encouraged drinking and also as a last resort offering other foods that I know child will eat easily but still needs chewing (I.e biscuit or crisps) after to help child break down the stored food

[Helen79]

do you sit and eat with her? If you don't normally then it might encourage her if you did on the days she is by herself.

[angeldelight]

Oh my son did this when he was young for a very short time

He could sit there for half hour with something

I've no real good advice really but I started cutting his food up really tiny because I thought he was actually being lazy and couldn't be bothered to chew

I didn't make a big deal of it just chopped his food up tiny and it seemed to do the trick

Good luck

Angel xx

[Koala]

I have come across this too.

It sounds like there isn't a problem when other children are about, which is also a common trait.

persevere, do not give in and let them go onto pudding until main has been, chewed, swallowed and eaten. In some children it is a controlling aspect of their nature and there is nothing you can do about it! and they know it, but continue to let the child know that you expect them to chew and swallow and that is what they must do to move on.

Try not to over emphasize it as an issue it will drive you crazy. Try to ignore this issue, mention a couple of times to chew and swallow, if you think she has got the message then let her get on with it but maybe entice with when she has finished her food you will be doing something else fun.

I have one at the moment, we all used to wait for him to finish - it took ages - and it was unfair on others, he realized this and was able to control everyone in the setting.
Now we just leave him to finish and we go on to the next stage - pudding - or play time - he soon speeds up - so as not to miss out!! We went through all sorts of stages, pretend gagging, storing food, eating very very slowly, putting tiny amount in his mouth, these were all strategies that he knew would draw attention to HIM and control everyone else, once we realized this and took the focus from him mealtimes improved drastically, He pulled his socks up and joined in with the rest of us.

It takes time and lots of lip biting, hang in there, :D

[kimnolan87]

Thanks for the advice - I always sit with the children to eat, think it's really important for me to set a good example of table manners :)

Yep - she knows she is in charge but I will continue to make sure that she isn't given the opportunity to move on until everything is chewed and swallowed!

Xxx

[loocyloo]

i've got a mindee who does this, and older sibling used to as well !!!

its usually meat or skins of fruit, but can be anything! i just let them do it, and we move on to pudding ( i have been known to get out an extra special pudding ;) to encourage an 'empty mouth' ) or playing or whatever we are doing. mindee is slowly coming out of the other side now, at least with me! i know that at home she is told to spit the food out and i don't do that, as not encouraging good eating habits. sibling still spits food out at home, but eats fine with me!

i now let it wash over me, but its drives my DS absolutely potty!

[smurfette]

I have one too and had also never come across it!! I also don't let him spit and he can sit for almost an hour with something in his mouth then he gets upset! Random with him,
Started With raisins which he just took a notion not to eat one day after previously always enjoying them, oranges, and sometimes a dinner he likes such as lasagne! It drives me nuts too but he seems to be coming out of it, like
Others I offer drinks (but he seems to be able to swallow a drink while still holding food in cheeks!) and bribe with desert and tell him he can't get Down Til it's gone, have also found ignoring the tears helps .. Think with him it was definitely attention and control ,, he never did it at home according to mum! Hang in there and be firm and it will die down

[loocyloo]

I have one too and had also never come across it!! I also don't let him spit and he can sit for almost an hour with something in his mouth then he gets upset! Random with him,
Started With raisins which he just took a notion not to eat one day after previously always enjoying them, oranges, and sometimes a dinner he likes such as lasagne! It drives me nuts too but he seems to be coming out of it, like
Others I offer drinks (but he seems to be able to swallow a drink while still holding food in cheeks!) and bribe with desert and tell him he can't get Down Til it's gone, have also found ignoring the tears helps .. Think with him it was definitely attention and control ,, he never did it at home according to mum! Hang in there and be firm and it will die down


mine can eat yogurt, drink, and even eat and swallow other food from plate such as veggies etc, whilst still holding food in mouth !!!

[beachgirl29]

yes I've never come across this till now. I have a child who does this and sucks food at the top of her mouth...mum just laughs and seems to think its ok but i do worry so make her stay in highchair/ booster seat till all gone. I don't give her certain things such as grapes it does drive me mad!!! never had a child do this! even my own and I've also worked in nursery setting for 4 years too!!