Hi I have a 26 mth old boy. He can hold his spoon and put it in his mouth but, can not dip in in the food. He also will not chew. He wants to suck down his food. If I give him bits of food he spits it out and will not try to chew. What can I do? He is adopted and was born with FAS and is just starting to learn to walk. I am concerned that he will be 4 or 5 and still eatting stage 2 baby food. What should I do?
I agree that he should be evaluated by a professional Physical Therapist or Speech Therapist. This is developmental delay that can be remedied if caught early. There are so many possible causes for this, and it may be just his rhythm, and will self-resolve, but I'd find out for sure.
FAS is known to cause developmental delays, and one with feeding is something you should take seriously. I would suggest two things, first, that you contact a speech and lagnague pathologist who deals with feeding issues and understands FAS, and second, that you call your nearest childrens hospital and contact a Develompental Pediatrician and make an appointment. Because he has FAS, you should be proavtive and be on top of the delays to get the earliest possible intervention for each one.
Feeding, chewing, and swallowing food are essential to growth, but the act of moving the food from the front of the mouth to the back of the mouth and chewing develop the muscles that are necessary fro clear speech.
It is much more important for your son than for most to start seeing professionals ASAP, and do not delay when ever you ask yourself if something is typical. You should expect delays and be in constant care with a developmentalist.
M.
As others have mentioned, definitely get a referral for a Speech Pathologist, but also for an Occupational Therapist. Both will help with the feeding issues as well as other motor, oral, and cognitive delays he might have. He may need a physical therapy consultation as well for gross motor skills, like walking. These should all be provided by your local early intervention program, at no cost to you. Ask your pediatrician ASAP!
Call Early Intervention asap for an evaluation. They only help till age 3. They will provide the therapies he needs. A Speech Pathologist will help him with the chewing since it has to do with oral motor skills (does he talk yet?). Also he may need physical and occupational therapy. You can ask for a Developmental Therapist also. Each therapist would come to your house once a week and work with your son for an hour.
If you haven't already, you should speak to your pediatrician regarding your concerns, and perhaps get a referral to a specialist in children with FAS specifically, or developmental delays generally. You also may want to discuss this with a speech therapist (they also evaluate chewing and swallowing issues).
Best of luck to you and your son.
FAS will cause delays and you'll need to work with someone who knows how to best handle the condition. As far as the eating goes, try finger foods and don't worry about the spoon - that will come later. They have some great biscuits for toddlers that dissolve fairly quickly, and my son LOVED French fries. I'd make sure he had a fry for each hand and he'd gnaw at them till they were gone.
