# Toddler eating ice



## gabry (Jan 21, 2004)

Our 16 mo old ds has always been intrigued by icecubes and wanted to play with / suck on them, but lately he has really been obsessed with eating ice all the time. We once gave him a little cup with crushed ice and now he asks for it continually. I know in adults this can be a sign of anemia, is this true in kids too? He is otherwise healthy, still bf'ing and eating a variety of foods. Anyone else experience with this? Just a phase?


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## musingmama (Oct 31, 2004)

My ds enjoyed ice around that time a lot- coincided with teething- I think the molars and incisors were really bad then. It was just a phase for him, he was healthy otherwise so I didn't worry about it. Sometimes now when I have icecube trays making iced tea, he likes to have one and suck on a little piece of ice that I make smaller by running under hot water, but he isn't obsessed with it. If your dc is teething, I would assume that it is helping them with the pain and discomfort.


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## gabry (Jan 21, 2004)

Yep, I guess that's possible, he only got teeth at 10 mo, so since then he's always working on something erupting from somewhere. Thanks!


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## mraven721 (Mar 10, 2004)

DS is 16M old and loves ice even proudly says "ICE" whenever he's around some. I give him some crushed and closely supervise him. I agree it could be teething, must feel good on sore gums.


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## slightly crunchy (Jul 7, 2003)

My son went through that for several months at that age, where he would ask for ice several times a day. I know he wasn't anemic because he was checked shortly before that. Later I read that chewing ice is very very bad for teeth, but didn't know that then.


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## nancy926 (Mar 10, 2003)

I wouldn't say chewing ice is "very very bad" for your teeth. If you have crowns or dental work, chewing ice can increase the chances that they'll crack or break. I have a mouthful of fillings and chew ice (not every day) and have never had a problem.

It does make the teeth cold, but only temporarily.

My daughter LOVES ice and thinks it's a food group. She only gets it when we go out, since we don't have crushed ice or small ice cubes at home.









Nancy


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