Texture Issue 17 months

sands · Dec 15, 2009

Hi, I am new in this forum . My twins were born premature at 27 weeks. They had reflux and used to throw up a lot. ( Vomits not just spit ups). Eventually with age they outgrew their reflux. Because of the reflux they started on solid feedings a little late. They could not tolerate much texture till they were 11 months and we had to take things slow so that they could keep their food down. We have weight gain issues as well and have started gaining well only after their reflux went away.
Now my problem is at 17 months they are still on mashed/semi mashed food. I am trying to slowly introduce texture and so far they have tolerated suji kheer and sabudana kheer well. They still do not feed themselves. I have to spoon feed them. They are not fussy about taste or do not have specific food preferances.
One of my boys would eat if I give him some fingerfood, but the other guy refuses to mouth anything. He just does not want any fingerfood. If I give him Marie Biscuit which is brother eats well, he would just play with it, and would never try to take it to his mouth.
Any suggestions/tips are greatly welcome.
Thanks a ton

tikka · Dec 15, 2009

I am just nodding in understanding because I had a child where yours is at.
Ds is a 34-weeker with reflux (yes, not just spitting up) and was put on solids at 7.5 months. He has strong texture preferences, wont ever eat soups or the well mashed food or mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, you know things that have a grainy, gooey texture. Did very poorly on purees (no weight gain after the weaning started in the first year), thankfully he took to table food very quickly around 14 months and till this date will not have soups. So, I hear ya!
I do keep reading that texture preference is a sensory issue as far as toddlers are concerne For children with rather severe sensory issues that is related to Autism spectrum, I hear sensory integration therapy for desensitisation works wonders. But that may be starting off at the wrong end for you. But if your children are in early intervention, occupational therapy may be an option for you to explore.
How does the idea of allowing him to play with table food while he is being fed purees strike you. The other thing that was suggested to me is using an electric toothbrush two three times a day to desensitise... It is the last suggestion on this link.
Hope you find a solution that works well for you.

sands · Dec 15, 2009

Thanks We have had the EI come and evaluate. He did well on everything else. He even liked the sensory toys that they introduced.
He likes vibrations in his mouth so I love the idea of an electric tooth brush. He has some toys which vibrate and he loves putting his mouth on those toys and feel the vibrations. So this might just help.
He does not qualify for EI or OT ( they have several criterias to match before a kid can qualify and since he is at par with other skills he does not qualify for any of these). We had him evaluated twice. Once when he was 7 months and the last one was at 15 months.
What we have started doing and has worked well for us so far is increasing the thickness of his food slowly. He now eats fork mashed bananas and avacados. He had no issues with puree food, infact he really did well when our pediatrician allowed us to start solids, he loves his oatmeals and cerelacs a lot.
The biggest problem is with textured food. Since our pediatrician thinks it is related to reflux, he has asked us to slowly introduce variious textures over a 6 month period. So far we have done well with suji and sabudana. He has mashed banana and avacado too. I no longer puree any of his food.
But I am running out of ideas. How do I slowly take him from here to regular food ? I have started him on dal chawal and he really loves it. But I have to really mash it up ( I usually pressure cook his food a lil extra time and then fork mash it) till now.
Any more ideas suggestions will be helpful.

tikka · Dec 15, 2009

this is the third time I am trying to write something and DS wants the comp for another thing. Long story short, I think you are doing all that you can right now without forcing food down your child's throat. I think you are doing great it... dont make food a big deal and keep offering, he will be on tablefood before you know.
Good luck

tikka · Dec 26, 2009

Sands, i was looking up recipes for a sick baby when I saw this link on introducing solids for children with reflux. You probably are practising all of it already, I am posting it here in the off-chance that there is something useful to you there. HTH