# Chews but doesn't swallow



## nhplantlady (Jun 3, 2007)

More often lately, my almost two year old son chews up some food and then keeps it in his mouth for a very long time. If he wants some new food or milky then I have to tell him many times to swallow and often we end up going to the sink after several more minutes and spitting it out. Anyone else had this experience?

He is cutting an upper eye tooth. Not sure if it is related.


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## pasqueflower (Sep 9, 2006)

We have this going on. 2 years 4 months, chews his food until complete mush and spits it out on his plate. For a long time he would take my hand and hold it under his mouth so I could take it. At least we are now putting it on the plate.

Things like apple peals, oranges, and grapes he holds in his mouth for long periods of time and then asks to put it in the compost. At that point I have completely forgotten that he still had it.

Not really any advice here. Just have that same thing going on for at least 3-4 months now.


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## grisaleen (May 14, 2005)

Oooh, my daughter used to do this. Mostly with chicken, which turns into a weird pulp-like texture, and apples with the peel. Often she'd walk up to me and start pulling at my hand, and if I was paying attention I'd hold my hand out so that she spit the stuff out onto my hand and not the floor. Finally I taught her to just take it to the trash. She still sometimes does it with the apples, but not very often. She's 26 months - she probably did the chicken thing for close to a year and only recently stopped... maybe two months ago?


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## chi_mama (May 25, 2008)

DS like to chew and spit toward the end of meals. Then he puts the chewed up food in the drink holder of his high chair and does another bite. It's weird.


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## angelachristin (Apr 13, 2007)

OH mine does it too. He will chew on something until he sees something he wants more or decide he wants milkies and he will just spit what he has out all over the floor, all down his clothes. drives me bonkers.


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

I think it's really common at this age to chew and hold onto food in their mouths. Some will spit it out, some will eventually swallow it, but it seems like a lot of kids do this. Honestly, I wouldn't be too concerned.


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## momma_monkey (Mar 26, 2007)

my little guy does that too (he's 18 mo.) most often with chicken. He insists that he really wants it "this time" and then spits it out-- usually into my hand that he has to grab!







drives me nuts.

I always thought it was some sort of texture aversion thing and that he'll eventually grow out of it, but to keep offering if he asks for it. I think that when he spits out things that he usually likes it is b/c he is full or something in his mouth is bothering him (teething) for a while he would spit it out if he was suddenly thirsty, but has since learned to swallow and then he can drink


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## Let It Be (Sep 17, 2006)

My 12 mo does this. My favorite is when he hangs on to it and spits it out on my breast right before nursing...


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## mamaveggie (Mar 24, 2007)

My dd still does this with peels and with carrots, so I think her's is a texture thing. She will be three in December.


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