On puree forever!!!???

[Anonymous]

What is latest age have you ever seen for a child to stop eating puree?

Brian is 16 1/2 month now, and he is still on puree. One week ago, I gave him some blueberry, he loved it and took 10 of them, then he vomited all those un-chew blueberry out 15 minute later, it is a sign that he doesn’t know how to (or he is not ready for) eat table food. I just don’t know how to get him on table food, and how to teach him to chew. I said to DH the other day that I never heard of any 10 year old still on puree, so I guess when Brian is ready, he will eat table food, right?

Brian’s ST from ET wants to discharge us, because she thinks he is eating normal and doesn’t need help, how can a 16 1/2 month old still eating puree be normal?

[Anonymous]

I wish I could give you some answers or suggestions, but I am in the exact same boat. I’ve been wondering how to get Noah on table food as well. He doesnt chew and often will pick up tiny pieces of food and will just hold it in his mouth. I think texture plays a huge roll in his eating issues. It sounds like Brian might be the same way. One thing I can suggest is to give him hard munchables to chew on. Examples would be large stale sour dough pretzels, slim jims and stale licorice. Our OT told us that foods like this get them acustomed to having pressure on their gums and gives them practice with chewing.

I know how frustrating it is to want them to eat table food (and to enjoy it), but take some comfort in the fact that atleast he is willing to eat, even if its only purees.

[Anonymous]

I know it’s hard, but I’d try not to worry. My friend who had reflux
twins (now recovered) had this issue – they were on purees until about
18 months – when all of a sudden the table food clicked. At 16 months
they were definitely on only purees and stuff like Cheerios – they just
wouldn’t really touch the table foods. Now they eat like normal picky
toddlers (23 months old).

[Anonymous]

I have no idea when children shoudl really start table foods etc. One of my friends has an 18month old daughter. At 1 year old she was not interested in finger foods, she got evaluated for EI and they found she had some minor fine motor delays… she has been receiving therapy 3 times a week and is almost ready to drop her bottles for cups, eats all types of foods (and is almst walking). Seems liek you were already evaluated? I really have no clue what makes some children elligible and others not and how they can even tell on delays!

Just hang in there.. i think that as long as he is getting nutrition, he is going to be OK. Keep offering…

[Anonymous]

My middle child did not eat table food until she was 18 months old. There was nothing wrong with her at all. She was just a child who was resistant to trying new things. In her own time she became interested in what everyone else was eating and she began to eat table food with the rest of the family. Once she tried a few things and saw that she liked them, she quickly began to eat more table foods and less purees.

I can think of at least two other babies I’ve know who did not eat table food until they were around 18 months.

That’s great that he ate blueberries. Maybe he’s going to start trying more things now. He may have kept them down if he had chewed them. Maybe try raspberries..they’re much softer than blueberries.

If Brian’s been evaluated and said to be fine, I wouldn’t worry. Just keep offering him table foods and he will probably surprise you one day and start eating them. For now baby food is healthy for him.

[Anonymous]

Sharon, what does Brian do when you give him table foods to eat? I am asking because I think how he reacts to them and what he does makes a difference in how I will reply. If he tries to eat the table foods i.e. picks them up and tries to bring them to his mouth, tries to chew up what’s in his mouth, and swallow- but just isn’t proficient enough to take in enough calories that way, then I’d say that he’s learning. As he gets better at it, you might want to decrease the amount of puree you give and see if he’ll take in more by finger feeding table foods. If he just sits there, throws it all on the floor, doesn’t try to self feed, doesn’t chew food in his mouth, chokes and/or gags, then I would tell the feeding clinic that he isn’t ready to be discharged because of any of those things, and ask them to give you suggestions for how you can move forward. I think though, based on what you said, that he is in the first group. This may be why the feeding clinic has said that he is ready for discharge: because the first description is developmentally appropriate but in need of more practice (based on what we’ve been told). So to answer your question, he may be taking more purees because you are offering him purees so he gets more calories. And as he gets better, and you feel able to give less purees, he may start eating more finger foods.

My friends daughter did not have reflux and was a completely voracious eater. She was 3 weeks younger than Sarah, but at a year where Sarah was eating table foods (though limited amounts would get into her mouth) and no purees, my friend’s daughter was eating completely pureed food. She told me that he daughter couldn’t manage table foods. But when she put her daughter into daycare they didn’t offer purees, only table foods. She suddenly started eating table foods, not because she was suddenly more ready but because she wasn’t being offered purees anymore.

I guess my answer is that as long as Brian is showing interest in table foods and seems to be chewing and swallowing a variety of textures, as he is offered more table foods and less puree, he’ll probably change over. In the meantime, like everyone else said, I wouldn’t worry too much. Eventually he won’t want to eat purees anymore, so at least now you can get some more calories in.

[Anonymous]

Hi all in addition to being a mom to a silent refluxer at the moment- I am an ST who does feeding therapy. Babies all start solids at different times depending on when they seem ready. My 4 year old was a projectile vomitter x 10 mos and couldn’t handle solids right away; however, my son who is now 20 months was chomping down cheerios & graham crackers at 7 mos of age.

In my feeding therapy, I am a big fan of several things- cheerios and Nabisco graham crackers dissolve really easily and are great to start with. Since I don’t know what your child’s chewing skills are, I would ask your ST for specific oral motor exercises to help him/her ? improve those skils.

I do LOVE the “baby safe feeder”. It’s a great way to introduce new solids, get used to new tastes and develop chewing skills without choking.

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone for the reply. It has been a rough week, our whole family got stomach flu, Brian still has diarrhea and he lost almost 1lb.

Lisa – I posted the same topic in another web site, several moms gave some great ideas, you may check it out if you are interested.

Christine – Did you make a plan before you transition DD from puree to table food? Brian has trouble gaining wt., so I am afraid if I don’t push for puree and let him go wild with table food, then he will lose weight, that’s why I really need a well though out plan before I can do the transition.

Lori – I put table food on Brian’s tray, and let him self feed 10-15 min before I feed him puree, he only picks up a few pieces, I think he is munching on food rather than chewing, because when I give him meat or other tough texture food, he just munchs and sucks up the juice and spits it out. I am really afraid he will lose wt. if I offer him less puree.

[Anonymous]

Hi Sharon,

No, I didn’t really have a plan. Ellie had no weight issues so I didn’t have that concern. She was just very resistant to trying new foods and wouldn’t eat anything at all except purees and cheerios/crackers/toast. So, I just kept giving her purees and offering table foods and eventually she started to eat table food on her own. I wish I had more advice for you, and I hope Brian starts eating better.

Christine

[Anonymous]

Sharon – what other site did you post on? I looked on Parent to Parent, but I didnt see your post.

[Anonymous]

Sharon,

I understand your fears about weight loss, because we have the same fears for Hailey. I would say to keep offering the finger foods and keep giving the purees. When he’s more proficient with finger feeding, then maybe you could try to back off of the puree a bit. The truth is that most kids want to self feed rather than take purees, especially as they get older. So Brian will probably let you know when he’s ready.

[Anonymous]

Lisa – here is the link to the other web site: http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f =52

Lori – Today our ST came to see Brian’s feeding, he just picked up a few pieces and self feed, he took a long time to chew on a small piece of chicken and almost choked on it, ST said he knows how to chew but just need more practice, she just wants to come for speech part. I told her that I don’t feel comfortable to be discharge yet. I do think that he is not ready yet, and he will let me know when he is ready. How is Hailey doing these days?

[Anonymous]

Sharon, I just posted an update on Hailey. Thanks for asking.

Why is she worried about his speech? I recall a while back you mentioned that he was saying a few words, right?

s&h’s mum2006-6-7 16:13:25

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