DownSyn Forum

[Momof6]

Austin is almost 10 months and he HATES food. Everything, cereal, fruit, veggies, and so on, but he loves loves his bottles. I have tried every flavor, and every kind of texture with no luck. Baby and table food both. I have tried talking with his doc, ST and PT, but they really don't know what to have me try but time.

Does anyone have any idea what to try to get my little man liking food. ( oh let me say he loves OREO cookies tho and I know he shouldn't live on them. ) Thanks for any help in advance.

_________________
~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 19, Chelsea 16, Connor 14, Logan 9, Cody 6 & Austin 4 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 ) diagnosis 10/28/10 Colonic Neuropathy, 12/16/11 dx with seizure disorder, neurogentic bladder...Monti Cath 11/9/12
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

I think I can, I think I can.
Climb the highest hills in all the land.
(If you think you can, you can.)
He could and he did !

I say CHEESE !

[SherryinWI]

JUst want to reach out and give you a big cyber {{{HUG}}}. Feeding issues can be very frustrating no matter how big or small. Does your son have problems eating or is it just refusal? I was told it can take a child with Down syndrome 100 exposures to a food before they will accept it. I know this may not be helpful and more frustrating. Some children have hypersensitivity and others hyposensitivity. My son is the hypersensitive child and very oral defensive. I would love if he would attempt a cookie or cracker. Great to see you son will eat an oreo cookie! So there is atleast one positive. If he is swallowing and eating okay I would just ditch the baby food out of the jar. Stage 2 is meant for young babies to suckle and their really is no chewing or skills needed. Stage 3 foods can be difficult for our chidren to manage the mix textures. I would mash or grind up table food. Some great books about diet and such are: Super Baby Food and Child of Mine. Some recipes and tips found at these websites.

http://www.superbabyfood.com/

http://www.ellynsatter.com/

"WHEN FEEDING IS GOING WELL, it's like a smoothly flowing conversation..." --Ellyn Satter

_________________
Sherry
Evan 12, Olivia 11, and Nate 8*

Hosted on Fotki

[Momof6]

SherryinWI wrote:

JUst want to reach out and give you a big cyber {{{HUG}}}. Feeding issues can be very frustrating no matter how big or small. Does your son have problems eating or is it just refusal?

Austin doesn't have an eating problem, he just doesn't like it...lol. He always opens and when the spoon goes in, he shivers and then gages, sticks out his tongue out like you just put worms on it. In a way it's kind of funny, but I'm starting to get concerned because he's almost a year and has no solids in his diet...except oreos. Thnaks for you help and I'm off to check out the sites you gave me.

_________________
~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 19, Chelsea 16, Connor 14, Logan 9, Cody 6 & Austin 4 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 ) diagnosis 10/28/10 Colonic Neuropathy, 12/16/11 dx with seizure disorder, neurogentic bladder...Monti Cath 11/9/12
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

I think I can, I think I can.
Climb the highest hills in all the land.
(If you think you can, you can.)
He could and he did !

I say CHEESE !

[JanAndFamily]

Christopher also has some oral defensive issues, and changes in food have to be introduced VEEERY GRAAAADUALLY. Maybe you could try giving him milk on a spoon, so what's going in his mouth is the same thing he's used to, it's just coming via a different thing. Or if that doesn't work, try thickening up his milk with a little rice cereal. I didn't do that myself, so I don't know how much you can do it without nipple-clogging problems, but I know of others who have done so, so I guess it should work up to a point. Then once he's used to that, try that combo on a spoon.

Christopher also spits out the first bite, or sometimes several bites, of most meals until he's used to the idea of what's going in his mouth. We just keep putting them back in, and after a few tries he'll start eating them (assuming it's something he regularly tolerates - new things are never introduced at the beginning of meals!). So don't give up if he spits something out the first time!

I'm also VERY impressed that Austin will eat a cookie! Christopher won't touch anything crunchy. As much as I'm not much for giving sugar to children, I'd keep giving him a little bit of Oreo every few days or so just to keep up his willingness to crunch things. Obviously once you can switch him to Cheerios or something healthier, that would be better.

Hope he's eating soon!

Jan

_________________
wife and mother of Katherine (2004) and Christopher (Aug. 2007, DS)

[Annieo]

This actually isn't that uncommon a problem with kids. Several of mine preferred the bottle to food. The only way to get them to try the food was to let them get hungry enough. And the only way to let them get hungry enough was to give them fewer bottles. I cut down on the number of bottles with milk in them and offered water instead. It's a little bit of tough love, but when they're getting all their calories through milk alone it can start to affect their health.

John had an aversion to food with texture. He was well over a year old and only wanted to eat baby food. I finally said enough is enough and quit buying baby food. He had one very hungry day, and then by the second day he started eating what I offered him. It made me sad to do it, but it was two days of sad and then we never looked back. He's still a picky eater but is more willing to try different foods if he's hungry.

You're little man is smart to like Oreo cookies! I'd be more worried about him if he didn't like Oreos!!! I'm sure he'll develop a taste for other food soon enough.

_________________


Ann, married to Tim, mom to Sally, Mark, Jane, John (12/02, DS), Paul, and Alice
www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnbremer

[newmom08]

Reese has food issues as well. She refused solids until she was 8 months. Then at 1 year I struggled with her to get off baby food and onto "people food". Now at 15 months she is mostly off baby food but she still does not chew so I have to give her soft foods. Have you tried any regular foods other than oreos (although I do agree that oreos are yummy. LOL) Here is what Reese eats:
Smoothies (frozen fruit, yogurt, tofu, and wheat germ blended together)
Oatmeal prepared with half and half and fruit that I puree
scrambled eggs
yo baby yogurt
tofu
toddler mac and cheese that come in the microwavable container
frozen squash cooked with a bit of butter
cheesy mashed potatoes made with sweet potatoes and shredded cheese

I would push for a referral to a feeding specialist. Hang in there. I know it can be so frustrating!

_________________

[~Ben'smum~]

OMG i've been thinking recently about weaning and now i'm dreading it after reading your posts!! Oh well, thats the joys of parenthood!!

what about blending the food until its a runny consistency, just slightly thicker than his milk then gradually make it thicker? I dont know what the normal proceedure is for weaning.

_________________
Karen- Mum to the world's cutest baby!! Ben

[Karien]

Kallen also had a lot of defensivness to food textures and ate pureed food for a loooong time. Fortunate for us, he just LOVES meat and at times it seemed that his love for meat overruled his tactile definsiveness. Something that made a huge difference was the brushing (of his body) that we did with OT and it was followed by deep predure. Can't remember how exactly, but I think I had to massage his gums and then put deep presure for a count of 3 or so, on each side. I don't know how, but it made a differince.
Just keep on trying-with a lot of patience- and he will start getting used to it.

[ctvwarren]

......good luck... at least he eats an oreo... thats great!
(not nutrition wise... but that he will chew something crunchy)

Zae still doesn't eat things like that... in fact this is what he does eat
............and remember he is 6 years old.........!!!!

oatmeal and cream of wheat (all flavors)
pancakes and waffles w/syrup
all pastas *ex. mac and cheese, lasagna, rav, and speg* (not the meat chunks)
pudding (only vanilla)
Yogurt (all kinds even the ones with fruit pcs. in them)
applesauce
gravy and biscuit (no sausage)
mashed pots.

and thats it....

he does get some green beans, salisbury steak and other veggies but its only less than 5 pcs of veggies at dinner time only and maybe one or two tiny pcs. of salisbury steak......
and thats a fight to get that down him every night... * and I admit that I only do this 3 or 4 nights a week cause it just exhaust me to fight him just to get a green bean in his mouth and keep it there long enough to make him chew it...


my suggestion... have you tried those gerber puffs.... my TD daughter lexi loved them when she was trying to go from baby food to table food... she never liked the cheerios... even to this day but would eat tons of those puffs

_________________
Christy~wife of 7 years to Tom
Proud Mommy to Zae (3-11-03~DS) and Lexi (1-11-2008)

[Karien]

Last night I struggled to get Kallen to eat and then we did our "ritual" again and I thaught that I'll share it- maybe it can be helpful to someone
When we eat, each bite is an animal. I'll say: here comes the dog...and then we make the apropriate sound- if I have cards or a book with the picture- all the better. We go through all the farm animals and everything I can think off. It takes his focus off the eating and its also educational. Sometimes we go through the family...here comes daddy on the aeroplane..and the apropriate sound
BUT we had a big struggle during his first 2 years- he didn't take any medisyne and any new taste or texture made him vomit. It was a constant batte.
Maybe out some puried apple just on the tip of your finger and rub it over Russels tongue. Whenever Kallen won't try anuthing new I ask him just to lick it. If he does it, we make a big fuss and sometimes he'll try it for a second time.
The cheering and clapping of his older brothers is a tremendous help.

[burnsun]

ironic......... i tried for a few months w/ Cokin....he would eat nothing!!!!!!!!!!!! Then one night he was on my lap at our mexican restaurant.....reached for my plate.

I started to feed him the "beans" Eric freaked...."THAT IS NOT A STAGE ONE FOOD"..... I said.....who cares he will just spit it out anyways....... wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He ate it and the whole plate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I forgot....mexican baby.....he wanted mexican food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OK.....just keep trying....... I think you need to try yogurt........ my kids love it and then we just moved on from there by mixing stuff into that (still the kids only eat cheerrios in their yougurt)

Good luck!

_________________
Jane
mom to
Colin Miguel (11/19/00) DS & type 1 diabetes, ASD
Devon Richard(4/13/01) DS & Autism & Partial Complex, Seizures terology of Fallot
& Retinal detachment w partial blindness at this time
Melea Isabelle(2/13/02) DS
Adrian Elliott (7/04/03) ADD
Eliza Marisol (5/15/04) DS , ASD, pulmonary hypertension, ADHD, ODD, Autism Spectrum Disorder,
Miranda Olivia (2/1/05) DS & Partial Complex Seisure Disorder & iratractable epilepsy & Stero Typical Movement Disorder & AV Canal
Jordan Alexander(3/17/2007)ADHD
Emerson James (1/08/2009) 33 week preemie
Sarah Emmaline "Emma" Grace (2/15/2011) 35week little one with a variety of issues inc: cp & fragile x & Seizures & severe birth trauma & G-J tube, Severe reflux, and recurent pnumonia and tracheosomy and vent chugging princess since 8/24/2012!




wife to the best & greatest guy Eric



http://princessgrumpy.blogspot.com/
read about the daily adventures of Princess grumpy and her special siblings and their daily adventures

http://thegrumpyfamily.blogspot.com/
the family blog of our unique & special family

[nora]

Turner is 6 months old. He breastfeeds and eats baby food at breakfast and lunch. Just like my typical kids about this age we start giving him little bites of table food (bannanas smashed with a finger, mashed potatoes ect) We also give him tastes of foods not enough to swallow just to taste. lemon, pickles catsup, popcicles just to explore different taste. I make sure he watches when we eat. He's interested in the whole process. He loves pickles and I really have to watch my husband because he wants to let him keep it in his mouth instead of a quick taste for sensory stim. I don't want to give him alot of any of these foods now too much too early can lead to allergies.

_________________
Lenora 46 kids 23,16,13,4,and 9 months ds

[Abigail'sMom]

Abby too didn't like texture. We were on stage 3 food for what seemed like forever. She would eat the green beans and rice, and out would come the rice peices. She was good at sorting

Then she was the mashed potatoe queen! I have so many pictures of her eating mashed potatoes... it did take time. Then we wounldn't touch veggies or fruites. Thankfully James Thomas helped her out with that. Now, 5 years later, she eats pretty much anything.

Sending hugs. I am now going through this with my Katie (1yr) she will eat ice cream, puffs, crackers and banansa's only on the peel. Frustrating. But keep offering.

_________________
Eli
Mom to Abby (DS 10/21/03), James Thomas (01/31/06), Katie (08/12/08.)

[AliMama]

Hmmm.... That sounds VERY familiar! My daughter Ali is close to the same age as your son (DOB 10-29-09). She doesn't like to eat anything, either. I know it is very frustrating because there doesn't seem to be any obvious reason, she just doesn't seem to like food! (By the way, she doesn't really love her bottle, either.) I tried giving her the Gerber puffs, and she really likes them. I also started giving her yo baby yogurt, which she seems to really like. If she could live on yogurt and puffs, she'd be fine!

_________________
Maresa,
Mom to Alisa (10-29-2008) DS, complete AV canal repair on 3-6-2009

[~Ben'smum~]

Christine- I was just thinking of this post earlier and wondering if Austin is eating anything other than Oreo's yet?

_________________
Karen- Mum to the world's cutest baby!! Ben

[Momof6]

~Ben'smum~ wrote:

Christine- I was just thinking of this post earlier and wondering if Austin is eating anything other than Oreo's yet?

lol.....nope, and now he doesn't like the Oreo's either. I'm lost at what to do. I do try at leats twice a day to let him taste something, but not have much luck. His first b-day is coming up and WIC told me that I need to get him on food because they don't cover formula after a year. What do we do if he just doesn't want to eat food now. It's not like I'm not trying. I know someday he'll eat, I just wish it was now and not later. **sigh** I'm sure once he does realize what food does to his belly, he'll eat me out of house and home. Thanks for thinking of us and our little problem.

_________________
~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 19, Chelsea 16, Connor 14, Logan 9, Cody 6 & Austin 4 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 ) diagnosis 10/28/10 Colonic Neuropathy, 12/16/11 dx with seizure disorder, neurogentic bladder...Monti Cath 11/9/12
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

I think I can, I think I can.
Climb the highest hills in all the land.
(If you think you can, you can.)
He could and he did !

I say CHEESE !

[~Ben'smum~]

Have you tried just leaving food in front of him and let him feed himself? Just a few bits of veg or fruit. Even some bread sticks.

I came across this on Google, these people are going through a similar experience.
http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/eating/refusing_solids.html

_________________
Karen- Mum to the world's cutest baby!! Ben

[Momof6]

~Ben'smum~ wrote:

Have you tried just leaving food in front of him and let him feed himself? Just a few bits of veg or fruit. Even some bread sticks. I came across this on Google, these people are going through a similar experience. http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/eating/refusing_solids.html

Yup, we've tried putting food in front of him. He sits there...looks at it, looks at us, looks back at the food and starts to whine. He's crazy...lol.

I'm going to go and check this out. Thanks. I'll keep up posted on my stinker.

_________________
~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 19, Chelsea 16, Connor 14, Logan 9, Cody 6 & Austin 4 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 ) diagnosis 10/28/10 Colonic Neuropathy, 12/16/11 dx with seizure disorder, neurogentic bladder...Monti Cath 11/9/12
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

I think I can, I think I can.
Climb the highest hills in all the land.
(If you think you can, you can.)
He could and he did !

I say CHEESE !