DownSyn Forum

Burgs · Posted: July 01 2011, 7:00 AM Post subject: Moving towards Finger Foods

I'm wondering if anyone can give me any tips. Katelyn is 15 months, and she's currently eating mashed sweet potato with finely cut vegetables and protein(chicken,quinoa etc). So its kinda like 'textured mush'.

She never puts food in her mouth, and it feels like we'll never progress to finger foods. (doesnt do it often with toys either - does this just 'come' or will she possibly just never do it?)

Does anyone have any tips from Speech Therapy that I can use to stimulate her to start becoming interested in finger foods?
Any suggestions most welcome!
Thanks!

HAnd · Posted: July 02 2011, 2:42 AM Post subject:

When Kyle was tiny we actually taught him how to put things in his mouth. It wasn't something he did on his own, I laughed knowing that I would eventually have to teach him the reverse. He was very little, starting around 5 months I think, but we started with interesting textured toys, hand over hand, bringing them to his mouth and holding them there while he explored it. Eventually he started doing it on his own, paving the way to eating finger foods.

I have a few ideas, maybe you've already tried, just things I've done with him, read about, or learned from his speech and previous feeding therapist.

- put food she likes on her high chair tray and leave it there for her to explore with her hands. Don't care about any mess. Pudding is a fun texture as an idea, and a food most babies enjoy. If she doesn't on her own using hand over hand put her fingers in the pudding then bring to her mouth to taste so she gets the idea that her hands equal yumminess Smile

- oral stimulation! A cold, wet wash cloth sprinkled with cinnimon was Kyle's favorite. I'd keep one in a baggy in the fridge. At first I would hold it and rub it in his mouth with gentle pressure: inside of cheeks, roof of mouth, gums on all sides, top/sides/tip of tongue. After a bit i'd hand it over to kyle and using hand over hand help him put it in his mouth, then let it go and he'd gnaw on it on his own. Other ideas for an oral stimulant are soft toothbrushes, electric toothbrush, "Nuk" brush, fingers

I hope that helps. If I think of anything else I will write more. Hand over hand, teaching her how to put things in her mouth is the best thing I can think of. Good luck! Kyle is 21 months now and feeds himself EVERYHTHING. We are currently working on the idea of utensils Smile

. Tonight at dinner he held his fork beautifully in his right hand while busily shoveling food in his mouth with his left Smile

.

_________________
-Heidi wife of Kevin and Mom to Nikolai-12, MaryKate-11, Sara-4, and Kyle (T21)-9/27/09 is a big brother! To Eon- 9/2/12

Vicki89 · Posted: July 21 2011, 5:52 PM Post subject:

Kole just started feeding himself finger foods. It was a long battle of throwing food. But once he realized that he can control the intake of his food it was game over and he loves to feed himself. But that has just been the last few weeks.

_________________
Mommy to Kole 10/7/2009 (Down Syndrome, ASD & VSD)

TheBradyBunch · Posted: July 21 2011, 6:45 PM Post subject:

Get something that dissolves easily or mushes easily...cut it up into bite size, and put it on her tray. Then, put one in your mouth and say mmmmmmm, but do it so it's totally exciting...then place one in her mouth, make sure it's something she can manage. Then, try to hand it to her, see if she takes it, if she doesn't then try hand over hand and into her mouth...

Our kids don't always just do things, there are many things Noah has had to be taught, putting food in his mouth was one of them....

_________________
Mom to: Nicholas (May/02), Nathan (April/04), Charlene (June/06), Noah (DS, ASD) (May/07), Jesse Lynn (July/08 ), Tessa (Apr/10), Kaitlyn (Jun/12)

"Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us"