My DS will be a year old on Jan. 20th and he still refuses to eat anything solid. I've been trying for months to get him to eat something, anything, more solid than baby food, to no avail! It doesn't matter what it is, if it's not liquid-y, he gags and makes himself throw up! I've tried the Gerber Puffs, Yogurt Melts, Crunchies, Zwieback toast, teething biscuits etc. I've also tried ice cream, soup and other really soft foods. Nothing works. He has 8 teeth, so it's not that he can't chew the food. He's not choking on the food either, because he'll gag as soon as the food touches his tongue. Anyone have any experience/suggestions about this? HELP!
try fattening foods lol french fries and chicken nuggets worked with my kids and my sis son.. hes the pickiest eater ever, hates sweets but will NEVER turn down chicken nuggets.... lol 
What does your doctor say about it? Does he have a throat issue that hinders his swallowing?
I worked with a girl who had issues swallowing "thick" liquids. She couldn't do milkshakes, Slim-Fast anything, or even whole milk (she only drank skim). Some orange juices bothered her, if they were a thick-pulpy type of juice.
I wouldn't rush it. If you think there may be something like Debi mentioned, then maybe his dr could give you some suggestions. If not, I'd just continue baby food, trying solids every couple of days or so. They're only babies for a short time. Why the rush?
Well the problem is that my boy is a fatty. He'll eat 3 jars of baby food and a 10 oz bottle at each feeding! And he still wants to eat every 2-3 hrs. I'm surprised he's only in the 50th percentile for weight. Anyway, I can't afford to keep buying that much baby food. He obviously needs something more filling. That's why I want to start him on some solid stuff.
He hasn't seen the dr. since his 9 month check-up and I've only been trying the solid stuff for about 2 months. I doubt he has a throat problem (he has no problem sticking everything else in his mouth and almost choking), but I'm definitely going to ask the dr about this at his one year.
And I did try fries once...let's just say it ended badly. 
I have a two year old, when she was one she had the same behavior. All it took was a piece of pasta to touch her lips or tongue for her to vomit. I spoke to my doctor about it (originally I told the nurse first who said that she would eat when she was hungry and that I was babying her, etc.), but I persisted through to the doctor who gave me a consult to a children's therapy clinic.
I fed her in front of a therapist, who quickly recognized and told me she had some sensory defensiveness issues, and did not have the motor skils with her tongue to handle the textures. The papers she gave me to read about it described everything that I had experienced with her. (She is my first, and I had no idea what normal should be). I took her to the therapist once a week for about 9 months where we worked on many things, she showed me all kinds of things to do at home.
My daughter at two has no problems, and you would never know this was an issue for us. I learned a great deal, and while I feel that the things that I did at home really made the difference, I am thankful that I spent that time in therapy.
Based on my experience, I recommend having a children's occupational therapist watch you feed your son. I am thankful that I didn't let my doctor's nurse embarrass me into not asserting that I knew there was a problem.
Best wishes,
t
Although of course there is great variation in what is "normal" development, I would have to say it seems unusual for a 1 yo to not be eating ANY solid food. By the time my two were that age, they were eating at least half regular food, if not more, and my sisters 3 kids ate table food even younger than mine. In fact, her youngest refused to eat any baby food at all by the time she was maybe 9 or 10 months old.
It really does sound to me like your child may either have some sensory issues related to food, or possible some problems with using the muscles of his mouth and tongue properly to manage the more solid food, or even a combination. An occupational therapist can help enormously with these types of issues, and most states have early intervention programs that can provide these services free of charge, often in your home, if you qualify (usually based on severity of the delay). I would definitely bring it up with the pediatrician and ask, no insist, on a referral to get him evaluated by an OT.
Do you notice any speech delay by any chance? If his problem is muscular, he might also have some speech issues. Even if you don't really think so, it wouldn't hurt to ask them to evaluate that as well. My son had some problems with figuring out how to control his mouth and tongue to make certain sounds and had a speech delay and is still getting speech therapy (in Kindergarten) to help him with the last few sounds (his wasn't severe enough to cause problems with eating, though). He had speech therapy starting at 18 months, and had OT for a little while because they thought he might have some issues (which he turned out not to), and he LOVED it! It's just fun and games to them.
Trust your instincts, and don't let anyone, doctor or not, brush off your concerns! HTH
I don't think it's normal either. My other DS was eating table foods by 8 months and was completely off baby food by the time he was a year old. Now that it has been mentioned, I'm going to talk to the dr about a sensory or muscular problem. That hadn't occurred to me, I just thought it was weird and that it couldn't be normal. Mommy instinct tends to be right!
How can he be a "fatty" if he's in the 50th percentile for weight?
That puts pretty much in the "perfect" category? What's his height percentile?
I meant fatty as in he eats like a freakin' horse. He would eat all day long if I would let him.
I meant fatty as in he eats like a freakin' horse. He would eat all day long if I would let him.
As the mom of an overweight teenager, I beg you to not start using labels like that with your child, even this early. Being "fat" and being of "normal weight with a healthy appetite" are two TOTALLY different things.
Kids have enough to deal with without being labeled like this .... and incorrectly labeled at that.
I meant fatty as in he eats like a freakin' horse. He would eat all day long if I would let him.
As the mom of an overweight teenager, I beg you to not start using labels like that with your child, even this early. Being "fat" and being of "normal weight with a healthy appetite" are two TOTALLY different things.
Kids have enough to deal with without being labeled like this .... and incorrectly labeled at that.
I don't see anything wrong with calling him that. Everyone I know refers to people who eat a lot as fatty's. It's only a label if you make it one. I call myself a fatty too, it means nothing and he will grow up knowing that it pertains not to someone's weight, but to the amount they eat.
Everyone I know refers to people who eat a lot as fatty's. It's only a label if you make it one. I call myself a fatty too, it means nothing and he will grow up knowing that it pertains not to someone's weight, but to the amount they eat.
I'm sorry but in my world "everyone" you know would be considered rude. It's considered rude to ever comment on how much anyone eats.
If he's raised in a positive way with it, then good for you, he's being taught to overcome labels. I tell my daughter, "yes, we're fat, but we're GORGEOUS!!" to teach her that beauty is not determined by the number on the weight scale.
Unfortunately, kids in school don't use that label the same way you would.
I'm sorry but in my world "everyone" you know would be considered rude. It's considered rude to ever comment on how much anyone eats.
If he's raised in a positive way with it, then good for you, he's being taught to overcome labels. I tell my daughter, "yes, we're fat, but we're GORGEOUS!!" to teach her that beauty is not determined by the number on the weight scale.
Unfortunately, kids in school don't use that label the same way you would.
It would be rude...IF we commented on a complete stranger's eating habits, which we don't. You're making a big deal out of nothing, and going way off topic. He's 11 months old, I doubt he's going to develop an eating disorder, or complex, because I say, "Gosh, we're such fatties, I can't believe we ate so much!" And yes, I usually refer to him and me, cuz I eat a lot too. He's also not at all fat. I don't think the kids at school go around calling thin kids "fat," but I could be wrong. If he was actually fat, then I wouldn't say that. Most of my family is overweight and none of them think anything of it and use the term themselves.
Oh dear. 
First of all, yes, please do ask your doctor about your baby's eating. It might still be a bit early, but it surely can't hurt to ask. Recently, a friend's 11 month old was having these issues, but in the past month has started overcoming them. Your son could be about to overcome them as well.
Secondly, I have to say that Indydebi is giving you very helpful, attentive, loving, and mainstream advice. I'm not sure what about it troubled you so much, but she is surely speaking as the voice of wisdom here. She's been there and seen what it looks like as a mother who deeply loves her child, not as a casual observer. As someone who has known many people with eating issues and even had a relative die due to them, I can tell you that if their mother's could go back and change anything that would have helped them, they would jump at the chance.
The current wisdom from the medical and psychological community is to not label our children in these ways. It becomes their identity and can cause a lifetime of grief. We all know you don't mean any harm by it. And sharing hard earned wisdom with you is a generous gift.
I agree with talking to your dr. about it if it really worries you - a couple of my kids took a while to get into solid foods as well ,even when they were around 12 months old...I did feed them yoghurt a lot !! & also tried thickening their food with rice cereal......I wasn't really worried about it tho', just figured they would eat regular foods when they were ready ! And they did 
Amy, I would talk to the dr. It does sound like tactile stuff. Is he fussy about what kind of objects he touches also? Some children are really sensitive to different textures.
My son has had a hard time with texture, colors, etc and he is 8.
Sarah
Does he seem to enjoy the taste of solid food at all? My son was breast fed, and really wouldn't eat anything until I stopped nursing him. He was above the 95th percentile, and still is. At 6 mos. he weighed nearly 27 pounds! 
Off breast milk.
I'd definitely talk to the ped, but as long as he is gaining weight normally and not acting frustrated, I'd just wait until he is ready for solids.
Let us know what the ped says!
.......can't afford to keep buying that much baby food. He obviously needs something more filling......
Why buy baby food? Make you own by using a food processor to grind up table food. That will definitely tell you if it is the texture or the taste that he objects to.
What stage baby food are you feeding him?
Stage 3 fruits, stage 2 everything else. The stage 3 meats and veggies have chunks and, of course, chunks are the devil. His appt is on the 23rd so we'll see what the pedi says then. On the baby forum I joined, another mom is having this problem and she got some recommendations that I'm going to try. Hopefully that'll help get DS used to the new textures.
Mine ate baby food veggies until he was 3 and we told him big boys ate big boy veggies too. He did fine. He would eat other solid food (meat, sandwiches, etc-- never met a carb he didn't like). We called him the hungry caterpillar because he ate so much and so fast-- even as an infant. I'm glad you get to talk with the pediatrician soon, but I don't think there is an automatic problem. I think some kids just don't like chunks or mixed texture foods like those stage 3 foods. Mine (at 5 1/2) still doesn't like yogurt with chunks of fruit in it.
Hope all is well.
It's not just the stage 3, it's anything that isn't pureed. And it isn't the flavor because he vomits before he could possibly have tasted anything. He gags as soon as the solid foods touch his lips or teeth. He will only eat pureed baby food and formula (soon to be whole milk, after his bday). He won't leave anything in his mouth long enough to even see if he likes it, that's why I think there might be a problem.
My mom use to make the food for my baby when he was a baby, she use to steam carrots, squash, green beans, a little peace of chicke and 1/2 teaspoon of butter and make a pure on the blender or food procesor, and my baby love it, some times she makes beef soup whith all kind of vegetables and the just pure the soup with the begatables and believe me He looooooooves it, you should try it but I recommend to go to the Dr.
I hope the Dr. give you better advise 
, the good think is that your baby is healthy but you do not know if it is just an habit or something else.
Blessings for you and your family
P.S. Let us know what the Dr. said
Amia1024,
So my daugher was walking around today eating animal crackers out of the little box and it struck me just how far we have come with her feeding issues. It reminded me that you recently saw the doctor. I am curious, were you able to get some advice?
t
Thanks for remembering! Yes, I did talk to the doctor. We went this morning, actually. He thinks it might be linked to his reflux, though he hasn't really had any reflux issues since he was about 6 mos old. Unfortunately, he has an ENT infection, so we're treating that before we work on solving his eating problem. We go for a follow-up in 2 weeks, so then we should have an answer.
Oh wow, this sounds so familiar. My oldest son would gag on a single piece of rice and it took a long time to get him used to food with any texture to it. He would vomit so often I too thought there must be a problem. He only wanted pureed food. It was a very slow process to get him into solids. I would give him cheerios or the toddler puffs that melt in their mouth to get him used to texture. Eventually he started eating chunky toddler food and then it was a struggle to get him on regular table food. He at the time was about the same age as yours. Do bring your concerns to the pediatrician but honestly babies are finicky rascals who thrive on routine. I figured there was no physical reason my son couldn't handle solids, like you said of yours, everything else non-food would end up in his mouth, so I just mustered through the tales of all other babies in the world at his age eating what everyone else at the dinner table ate and waited out his food aversion. He is 3 1/2 now and eats everything. My 16 month old however is also a texture baby, here we go again.
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