Child Won’t Chew: Any Tips

 

Beth Posts:

DEAR ERI COMMUNITY: I have a client right now that I am having trouble teaching how to chew. He was on stage 2 baby foods at 14 months old when I first started working with him. He is now eating mashed table foods, but often needs pudding or appleasuce on the spoon with the foods to tolerate. His mother has done the Therapressure Protocol with him in the past and we saw great improvements with tolerating touching foods, diaper changes, etc. I have asked his mother to start the Therapressure Protocol again. Now that we are gradually making his food chunkier, we have noticed that he does not chew. I gave his mom a NUK brush and gave her suggestions on working on tongue lateralization to improve oral motor skills. He will briefly hold something between his front teeth, but he pushes the chewy tube forward with his tongue when I place it on his back molars. I have his mother inserting the spoon to the sides of his mouth so the food is placed on his molars and she said she thinks he chewed one time over the past week. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

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