Daughter Is Gets Sick by Sights or Smells of Other Peoples Food

Updated on January 14, 2010
S.C. asks from Saint Louis, MO
8 answers

My daughter gets sick if she doesn't like the looks or the smell of other peoples food around her when eating. This has become a real problem at school, she has gotten sick at lunch almost everyday. Anyone have any idea what might cause this or how I can correct it?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

She might have a sensory processing issue. There are therapists trained to help children with this and other sensory issues. My then five year old son wouldn't even try gooey foods like chocolate pudding or jello;it would gross him out (and he'd sometimes gag). He also didn't like messy activities like finger painting, playing with sand, or working with glue. After several sessions with a therapist (where he was gradually exposed to/worked with one of his adversions), he's much better! I highly recommend the therapists from The Children's Spot of St. Luke's Hospital.

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.D.

answers from St. Louis on

Do you think she's allowing herself to get sick...psyching herself out (is this a new thing?) or do you think it's possible she has allergies? People with allergies to foods and substances can get sick just from being around them...cleaners, purfumes, food odors, etc. Not sure what you can do in the first case...if it's been going on for a while maybe a therapist can help. If it's allergies, there are treatments you can do, but they aren't inexpensive. We're getting my daughter some right now........good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

V.P.

answers from St. Louis on

My daughter is also 5, and has the same problem. Turns out her father did too. He eventually grew out of it. For now, we make sure she knows where the trash can is, during lunch. And if we go out to eat, we know where the bathroom is.

She even gets sick when she sees her little brother eat. The food around his mouth makes her sick. Oh well. It's just a phase, right?
V.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

my nephew used to get nauseous when eating. He was allowing his vivid imagination to picture really gross stuff: like each strand of noodle was a vicious snake, each particle of hamburger was a grubby worm, et. He would actually gag at the table. This went on for months & was disgusting!

We were finally able to talk him out of it....just by threatening him with dishes for a week.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.D.

answers from Topeka on

I have a sensitive nose I get headaches if someone walks by me with perfume I can't even go shopping for lotions or perfume for myself sometimes because of it.I can handle certain things but MUSK isn't one them.As for food I love popcorn can't take the smell.So getting sick off of other peoples food and smell's to me is ok but is there an explanation for it I don't know & what is extreme you say sick is she vomiting from the smells?

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.J.

answers from Kansas City on

Has she always done this? My friends' son couldn't even eat with the rest of the family for a while. Eventually they determined that he had a sinus infection. Could that be a possibility?

Wish I could help more.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.Y.

answers from Wichita on

Bless your daughters heart, my son 6 has been getting sick (up to and including vomiting) on pumpkin "guts", pudding, jello, finger paints, goop, etc. Anyway I am hoping he will grow out of it, but I'm also reading the other responses and thinking maybe we ought to consider other things. I wasn't to worried about it, I just let the school nurse and his teacher to be aware. The first time he puked at lunch because someone showed him their chewed up food, the nurse just called to let me know and he seemed ok, I talked to him for a min and made sure he was ok with going back to class. I would have been embarrassed, but he said he was fine, it was their own fault he puked on their shoes for showing their food. I thought, way to go! he just avoids certain things. Good luck, R.

1 mom found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Wichita on

Sounds like a psychological problem to me. You should get her check out by her pediatrician and maybe a psychologist. She might have some kind of phobia.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions