Actually, that has been how our progress is occurring. I have been discussing things with my daughter and she has slowly eating more things. Validating her fear but then explaining the importance of being healthy, which seems to mean a lot to her! We have a deal right now, that I will let her eat the mushy foods until she is comfortable again, but with each meal she has to take at least one bite of something "normal"... so far that is working because the "normal" thing goes down successfully( which it has every time) she smiles and says that was easy...
The fear of discussing it too much is the control issue, so at this point the deal has been made and I am acting very casual about it, just doing it with little discussion.
I will tell you my biggest mustake was making a huge deal about it at the beginning... I now am suffering the consequence of that initial reaction...
But today she had a yogurt for lunch, a big spoonful of peanut butter and large glass of V8 fusion!! Her "normal" food was two goldfish and she didn't even mention she was nervous just chewed and chewed but then swallowed them! We are making great progress I feel and I cannot thank these posts enough. You all have been so helpful, thank you!! And that V8Fusion I bragged about at a party last night and will be a constant in our house for now on!:)

There are lots of mushy foods, like mashed potatoes, puddings, applesauce. Or buy one of those babyfood grinders or strainers and mush up his other foods if you have to--but only if you have to, since you don't want him to get so dependent on that kind of thing. Having him help you print a grocery list and then taking him shopping with you to find foods especially for him sounds like a great idea! Cooking and baking with his help (snapping fresh green beans, shucking corn on the cob, helping you make casseroles) will go a long way too.

Thank you! And yes, I took her yesterday and she picked out jello... great!

... And this is terrible, but my son had mcdonalds last night , while she ate her foods, and as "mean" as it could seem... not getting a happy meal or the TOY didn't hurt our goal... ;)
She said, " Mom I am pretty sure I am feeling better and better about swallowing..."

I said great... that was it... as she salivated watching my son eat his FF's...

Didn't want any as my son offered but she said maybe next time we go to Mcdonalds... ;)

What self control it took to turn down McDonald's! But, if she wasn't fazed by it - then I wouldn't be either.
If she is eating things that are good for her - regardless of the texture - that is good. Just keep up the good work - she will get back to the swing of things.

Those V8's are good. My daughter likes the strawberry/banana and was shocked to find out that there is veggies in them (darn commercials!) but, she still drinks them.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

There are lots of mushy foods, like mashed potatoes, puddings, applesauce. Or buy one of those babyfood grinders or strainers and mush up his other foods if you have to--but only if you have to, since you don't want him to get so dependent on that kind of thing. Having him help you print a grocery list and then taking him shopping with you to find foods especially for him sounds like a great idea! Cooking and baking with his help (snapping fresh green beans, shucking corn on the cob, helping you make casseroles) will go a long way too.

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To add to this great idea , maybe in a week or so start to leave the food a little bit chunkier each time :)

I gave her scrambled eggs this morning and she started tearing up... but she never eats in the morning, and I felt she was playing me a bit.. so I said take a few bites and drink your juice and she did and I didn't push it... she ate her vitamin and drank the drink.. but I will definitely do that with the foods... make them chunkier each time... thank you!!

I can't imagine that this will last forever. Just contiune to be patient with her. If she is getting her nutrients - what good does it do to push? She will come around when she is ready.
And she could very well be playing you - but as long as you can still get her to take a bite here and there of "regular" food and it is contiuned to be offered - she'll get the hint.

My 6 year old just told me she wants to be a vegitarian (sp?) because she doesn't like the idea of animals being killed. I am not sure if she is serious but - if she doesn't want to eat meat - I won't force it. I'll just have to figure out alternatives. But, I can tell you that we (me and Dad) will continue to eat our normal stuff. :)

I'm sure this has already been said, but you'll have to take it slowly. It is probably just a stage that your baby is going through. Just try introducing new foods slowly, and if you don't think they are getting the proper nutrients, try buying pediasure from the grocery store. It has the proper nutrients for children who don't eat well, and it also tastes sweet, so if your child is picky it will probably be some very easy to introduce.

I wouldn't worry about it. This is pretty normal for the age group as their growth rate begins to slow significantly compared to the first year, requiring less calories. Trust your doctor on this, as he will eat when hungry.

I'm no expert, so I could be giving the wrong advice.

I had to let you all know.. patience paid off.. today we were with a bunch of kids and my daughter FORGOT about her fear and started eating chips and hard cookies... after many bites she all of the sudden panicked when she realized, " oh my goodness I am eating.." and looked to me... I said NOTHING and went along like nothing was abnormal and she continued eating... HURRAY!! She then had macaroni and cheese for dinner and said mom I am getting more comfortable... I just want to say thank you thank you again.. because when I first wrote here I was really scared and all of your tips made ALL the difference!!

Hey, we are her cyber aunts and uncle, after all!

(Maybe you'll be advising us one of these days... )

It is very common for damage to be done to the throat when someone has a near choking incident and it can be extremely painful. Take the child to the doctor, explain all that has been going on. Also, just ask the child.

I do not think it's a good idea to start bribing him to eat. If it's not pain, then it may be a fear of choking, or he could be refusing food due to an emotional situation such as teasing or some other type of abuse. Do not get angry at him - you need to stay unemotional around him about it and take him to a doctor, and if they can't help, a child psychologist, to get to the root of the issue.

In the meantime, perhaps give him things that would not irritate his throat. Like if he will drink, give him soup. Another option is meal replacement shakes (ask a pharmacist to recommend the best option - diet shakes for adults are not what I mean - they have shakes for people who have difficulty eating). This will help you nourish him adequately while you figure it out.