I recently talked with a parent who was concerned that their 10-month-old wasn’t interested in purees or solids. I first reminded her that every milestone and skill, including feeding, is on a continuum meaning everyone develops at different times!
Why your child may be struggling with purees and solids:
Control: Does your child feed themself the puree with their hands but does not like you to spoon feed? They may like the feeling of being in control of mealtime.
Sensory Aversion: Your child may not like how the food feels in their mouth and can’t interpret the new sensory input
Oral-Motor Difficulty: Your child may have a hard time organizing their mouth to be able to manipulate what’s in it.
Not Developmentally Ready
Before you start feeding your child purees and solids it’s crucial to make sure they are showing the signs of being ready for this next step. Those signs are:
- Baby can sit with little to no support
- Baby can hold head and neck in a sitting position
- Baby brings objects to mouth
- Baby is interested in food
- Baby can swallow versus pushing it back out
Uncomfortable in a high-chair:
If your child seems uncomfortable in the high chair it could be one of the reasons they’re struggling eating.
Look and see if there’s a lot of room on the sides and the back of their high chair. If there is, try using a rolled towel alongside them or at their back to offer more support.
🚨 IMPORTANT: It’s crucial that your high chair has a footrest your child can touch. This helps your child with postural alignment and coordination which is very important during mealtime.
If you’d like to chat specifically about your child, feel free to grab a time on my calendar. I work with children and families who experience these challenges and would love to help you!
Emily Schreiber, OTD OTR/L