Is it possible for a child to not be able to chew?

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Is it possible for a child to not be able to chew?

by Suzanne
(Australia)

Hi

My 3 year old daughter has verbal apraxia (though with ProEfa fish oil she is talking clearly in 3 words or more sentences) and a hypersensitive gag reflex with a seemingly inability to chew. She only eats mashed foods and yogurt.

The meals have to be given to her in a high chair with some form of distraction such as the TV or crafts. As soon as she is aware that I am spoon feeding her she says "yucky don't like it" however when I quickly up the distraction she happily opens her mouth to eat. She won't feed herself the mashed meals or yogurt as she doesn't like food touching her skin or clothes.

My daughter doesn't have any other sensitivities really, she doesn't mind tooth brushing. She just hates food and has never chewed. I have never seen chewing motion. Her speech therapist says she will eventually chew as she has never seen a child not chew. However, I can't see it happening and will probably have to feed her until she is old enough to will herself to do it herself. I don't even mind the mashed food eating as everything can be mashed, she is good at swallowing smooth foods. It's just the avoidance and fear of feeding herself that is the problem.

Is it possible to physically not have the motor oral skills to chew? Can a person not be wired up properly to be able to chew? The speech pathologist says she has never seen it.

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Is it possible for a child to not be able to chew?

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Nov 27, 2011
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My son also does not chew!
by: Anonymous

I am so grateful that others struggle with the same thing! My 20 month old refuses to chew still on gerber stage 3 and some other foods I have to mash up in the food processor. He got diagnosed by an occupational therapist as having sensory processing disorder. He also runs around constantly and doesn't like things on his hands. He is starting therapy next week with an OT and he goes to a special pediatric feeding clinic but the progress seems so slow... so far he has not made any efforts to chew and I can't even get the spoon in his mouth like the way the drs at the feeding clinic have showed me. So frustrating but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

Nov 19, 2011
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Update
by: Anonymous

I've noticed (along with a few others) that nobody on here here posts solutions, so yes its nice to knw others share you problems but whats the good if there are no answers coming on here? I posted back in june about my daughter never chewing/feeding herself etc. We have made some progress, in july she stopped eating altogether for 2 weeks (pediatric had no useful advice) then off her own back she started eating again (but she stopped drinking the same day and has never drank from a cup since so I have to use a syringe). She would only eat yoghurt at 1st, however I managed to get her out of the high chair upto the table (much easier than I expected) gradually over the last 5 months I have been making a blended mix for her starting with cream banana and honey then I stared adding ham,cream, lentils, avacado, tinned fruit and potato, I mix it all up together and put it into yoghurt pots. Yes she is still not chewing or feeding herself but she is getting the vitamins she needs. At her creche she now eats 3 times a week with the other children which helps a little, and she will use a spoon when I give her chocolate mousse. I also give her choccy lollys which she holds and licks by herself. Some little tips you may want to try.If anyone else has made progress please tell us

Nov 18, 2011
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I have a 3 yr old son with the same issues
by: Maria Carrillo

Thak You so much for sharing your storing with everyone!!! I have a 3 year old that is going thru the same thing. He tries to chew,but starts gaging. he will only eat mashed food and refuses to feed himself. and will not try new foods. and he doesn't like getting dirty with food either. and the dr's have told me the same thing they never seen a case like this before and just the wait game..I've done reasearch as well and have not found noting yet. I have an appt with a psychiatrist this coming week if he tells me something new i will for sure come and update you..but i'm glad there i found someone that shares the same thing,although it's noting nice but at least it gives us hope that hopefully we could find an answer. and im gladyou were open about tis so more people out there know this is a big problem and we need to find answers,cause our cild cannot go witout chewing and eating..once again thank you and if i find anything i will let u know..here is my email to keep in touch jm.carrillo02@yahoo.com my name is

Nov 10, 2011
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So helpful, thank you!
by: Jennifer

I have a 3 year old going through the same exact thing. She will run away from food. She started this behavior around roughly a year old. Before then, she ate anything and everything for her age group just fine. For the past two years, I've been working on getting her to eat trickier textures to no avail. I always end up back at square one. Food has to be perfectly smooth or she will get sick. What makes absolutely no sense to me is that she will chew on other things just fine, so long as its not food. Anytime I reach out for help, I am accused of coddling my daughter, which simply is not the case (and no, I'm not in denial, either). I've done a lot of research of my own and put an extreme amount of effort into resolving the problem, but nothing has worked. No local pediatricians have ever seen this behavior and they are stumped. They gave me the wait and see advice. Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you can come forward with an update in the future, because I would really like to know what angle to take and if it works.

Jun 09, 2011
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Chewing
by: Chip

My 3-year-old daughter who has left-sided infarct and right-sided hemiplegia has the same problem as urs. She hasn't started to chew anything until now. I mash every food like rice, banana etc. to feed her. She also has delayed speech.

One exercise that I've heard to strengthen the jaw muscles is to ask your child to blow torn bits of paper, and make funny faces with cheeks and tongue. Its an exercise which my child has been suggested. My child is slowly improving. God will help u too :)

Jun 04, 2011
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2 1/2 yr old never chewed
by: Anonymous

I have the same problem. My daughter has never chewed, She used to eat pretty much everything I offered her as long as it was mashed but since her 2nd birthday she started refusing, I had to cover everything yoghurt and its gradually dwindled to her only eating petite filou, she wont even eat other yoghurts now as they have to be in a certain pot (the petite filou pot) she has never fed herself and I also have to feed her in the high chair with the tv as distraction and she ass screams when she gets food on her hands. I'm not a pushy parent so I never force her to eat I just stay calm and loving and go with what she wants. She is still on formula as that is the only way I can give her the vitamins she needs, she will use a tippy cup but she needs to be lying down, she hates change so I cant feed her and get her to drink outside of our home. Her speech started late but she is coming along fine now. A few people have suggested she may have autism as she struggled with eye contact, dosnt acknowledge other children and has a few odd quirks but I dont think she has, however after reading this forum I've noticed a lot of the children have autism....I dont know what to do about it, I've always said so long as she looks and acts healthy and is drinking her milk I dont mind but it is a secret constant worry.

Nov 19, 2010
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2 yr old wont chew
by: Anonymous

My son has autism and he only eats yogurt, applesauce and still drinks from a bottle. He really cant chew food and he just swallows. I understand what your saying and i hope one day us parents get better help and answers for why this happens to our children. thank u for listening

Sep 23, 2010
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My son Jordan
by: Anonymous

I have a 6 year old Son named Jordan. He has autism but he also has global developmental delays as well. They say that if he didn't have the global developmental delays then his autism would be very mild. He doesn't talk, and he doesn't chew his food at all. He is still on baby food. One day I hope he would be able to chew his food. It just seems like there is no answers as to why he doesn't chew his food at all. I live in Ontario Canada. We haven't had much luck with the services that they have offer us. If anyone has any input at all. It would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

Jen

Jul 02, 2010
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Nordic Naturals ProEfa fish oil helps speech as clinically tested.
by: Anonymous

Dear Dr Hans Breauer. Not that speech is the concern of my post, however my daughter Bella also has Verbal Dyspraxia and I have supplemented her with Nordic Naturals ProEfa Omega supplement as the American Speech Association suggests to help my daughter with neuronal processing of speech. The combination of fish oil and borage oil is important as clinical studies have found ratios to be very significant. My daughter has overcome her Verbal Dyspraxia and her speech pathologist id astounded. The fish oil and Borage oil complex helps the neurons to communicate and rewire better. I ran out of the oil recently and Bella began stuttering more than usual. I got her on it again and then increased her dose and it is almost gone. I am doing this all under clinical supervision of my speech pathologist and it is a nutritional substance that works. Perhaps you could research the topic to become more better informed and clinically accurate. It is an area that does not need any scientific inaccuracies. Regards Suzanne

Jul 01, 2010
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speech and chewing in babies and toddlers
by: Dr Hans Breauer

I have just read the last comments from mr nottoli-I believe that their is no such thing as
speech nutrients and that speech is developed by
talking to and encouraging children to respond
with sounds-this guy is just trying to make a fast buck with a nonsense remedy

dr Hans Breauer

Mar 03, 2010
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Hello. Update on Bella and some comments to people's questions.
by: Anonymous

Most children can chew but this is why some don't want to.

To begin with, there is a largely genetic food phobia called 'Neophobia' of food which translates as a phobia of eating new foods. Neophobia of food is 78% genetic and 22% social. There is a strong genetic drive to reject food and only eat foods that are deemed safe. Obviously, this leads to a limited diet as the child takes so long to try new foods that as they get older a comfort zone of food develops which the child just won't move out of. In order to get passed this, the child has to work through psychological phobia techniques. Emotional maturity is needed for this. So there is an issue of emotional maturity and a strong will to want to get over the food phobia that can be lacking.

Second category is called 'selective eating disorder' which is a phobia that is not genetically based but brought on by bad experiences such as gagging on food etc. Again phobia techniques need to be used to get passed the fear.

Lastly there is the physically disorder of "sensory processing disorder" where the child can't co-ordinate chewing, gag reflex etc.

As an example Bella has inherited Neophobia of food, as both sides of my husbands family have it!! Bella also had some sensory issues with an overreactive gag reflex. Bella learned that food was dangerous and didn't want to touch food, let alone eat it. So Bella ended up being fed pureed foods which she deemed safe.

The problems left are now concerning phobias. We do phobia work on other non food phobias to prime her. We have a sticker present system with her yogurt. Yogurt is a favorite food, but Bella is now used to me feeding her and won't do it herself. after every tub of yogurt she eats by herself, she gets a sticker and after five stickers gets a present of her choosing. Let me tell you, even with this incentive, sometimes dad has to put on his firm voice to get her to eat the tub by herself. We then tell her how brave she was for doing something that was scary and that she is a brave girl. we also discuss how sometimes when we think something is bad or scary etc it turns out not to be. Of course the child has to be o.k with even being around food for this to work. Some kids with Neophobia of food can't even sit next to a banana without gagging or Hyperventilating.

The SOS food therapy program offered at many American health centres is the best to treat any food issue. It uses a evidence based holistic approach to food problems and is a model that is tailored to each family. Just google SOS food therapy.

Please google "eataholics' or f'reaky eaters' and you will get onto a BBC site that has a documentary series on adults who have food phobias like our children and they have a nutritionist and psychologist to help them through and they eventually eat normally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can view the series on the site.

If anyone would like to contact me I'm at zsuzs@ncable.net.au.

Jan 26, 2010
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Won't chew
by: Anonymous

I have a three-and-a-half year old son. He CANNOT chew. He doesn't know how to move things around in his mouth, and seems to have an active gag reflex. He has been top an occupational therapist ...
I suspect that he has some sensory issues which was exacerbated by an active gag reflex and recurring bouts of tonsillitis which caused vomiting and unfortunately the antibiotics also caused vomiting.
I tried distracting him when he eats, promising rewards, removing something he likes, but nothing worked, He would rather refuse something he wants or give up something he likes than eat.

He would NEVER feed himself, and I couldnt force the issue since it was like asking a child to inflict pain upon himself. He was not being naughty or willfull: He merely found eating a psychologically and physically painful experience.
He hates anything new: new textures, colours, taste ... He doesn't like ANY FOODS expect milk . formula. I have continued giving him some milk as this was the ONLY positive eating experience he had, I also add vitamins and omega oils to the milk. I even have to "wean" him off formula by diluting it with conventional cow's milk.

Recently, I have gone on maternity leave, and have used this time to teach him to bite into things like banana and bread dipped in milk. The fact that he is older and can understand has helped tremendously. I explain over and over again why and how he has to eat, and I use examples of things (like pedaling his bike) that he couldn't do at first but now enjoy as motivation.
There was constant vomiting, but I didn't give up. I have taught him to feed himself, and forced him t o eat yoghurt, so he is able to have that as a snack at (yesterday was his first day ) preschool. He always wanted to attend preschool but couldn't due to the eating problem. I have alerted the teacher to the problem, am concerned that he will vomit and be teased at school. On the other hand, I hope seeing other children eat5 will be a motivating factor, so i do not want to pack his mashed food. he loves routine and i don't want to start another set of problems by giving him the impression that it is ok to have special food at school.

I have made progress (AND THERE WERE TREATS FROM BOTH OF US!) BUT i JUST DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TEACH HIM TO CHEW WITH HIS BACK TEETH. I have tried placing a large piece of banana in his mouth, but his instinct to "get rid" of the food by swallowing is so strong that the size did not deter him from trying. i am too afraid to try again: I do not want him to choke. I have explained why we chew and he understands, but seem unable to handle the food in his mouth long enough to chew. Please help. i want to get him to chew before my maternity leave ends ... and i want eating to become -if not pleasant - then at least tolerable for him.

Jan 20, 2010
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we need your help
by: mr and mrs adu gyamfi ghana

i have the same problem but in africa autism is not common. no doctor was able to tell us the problem with our kids until i went online.i wept the whole night because my kids were eating only milk and wheat.
is there any organisation that will help to send some drugs to us to take care of them?i am always thinking about them taking care of themselves when we are gone
please help by calling us on +233 244 251650
george and +233 244 581360 or email me adu2gyamfi@yahoo.co.uk

i hope to hear good news from you
thanks and God will surely rewards you

GHANA

Jul 01, 2009
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My daughter has the same problem!
by: Monique

Hi,
My daughter, Emma, has autism and also cannot chew. Everything has to be smooth and her diet consists mainly of yogurt, bananas, Gerber stage 2 foods, and Pediasure shakes. My heart goes out to you since I know what you are going through. Like you, I have to spoon feed Emma in a high chair with the TV on in order to distract her enough to eat sufficiently. I have been EVERYWHERE and have seen EVERY specialist about this. Based on my own research and consults, it is called "grading awareness." Your proprioceptive system is in charge of the input received to your muscles and joints.

In children with low muscle tone, they do not receive the input needed to grade what is going into their mouths. Think of what you feel like when you receive Novicaine. Afraid to chew, right? I think what happens is a fear develops because the child cannot sense the solid food and as a result all other skills, such as chewing, go out the window. I have made some gains with Emma by giving her cheese puffs. Cheese puffs dissolve in the mouth so after that initial rejection, the fear goes away and she can experiment with the item. I have also slowly (very slowly) started to add baby rice cereals into a yogurt/banana mixture, being careful to mix it thoroughly since one chunk and she's done. At least the mixture is getting thicker which allows her to move her mouth a little more productively.

Stay strong and keep doing anything you can to stimulate the nerves and muscles in and outside of her mouth to help develop the awareness your child needs.

I don't know if Emma will ever chew either. I hope so! Please feel free to email me at mcalello@yahoo.com if you need someone to connect with who is experiencing such a rare challenge with their child. I know I often feel very alone on this one, too.

Jun 30, 2009
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Chewing
by: Anonymous

Yes, it is possible. My suggestion, based upon experience, is to find a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) as quickly as possible.

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Is it possible for a child to not be able to chew?

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Is it possible for a child to not be able to chew?