This is Jarem's recent preschool picture
As parents, we learn that each child is different, and the same things are not problems with each one. A few weeks ago, Jarem was eating an orange, and had that scary feeling that he was going to choke (you know when part of the membraney stuff doesn't get completely separated). Eric gave him a tap on the back, and it came back up and he was fine, but I think he realized how easily he could choke on something. Ever since he first learned that people could die, he has a great fear of dying. I guess this just complicated things when he realized he could die from choking.
Since then, (probably about 2 weeks now), he is afraid to swallow anything. We realized it when he was only eating a few bites of any meal in the time it took everyone else to eat a full meal. He chews and chews and chews until it is completely liquified in his mouth and doesn't want to swallow. We have to continually tell him to swallow. Then, he wants to open his mouth and show us after each bite is chewed to see if it is chewed adequately. He is paranoid.
We have tried everything to try to get him through this. I have tried to tell him your body knows when it's time to swallow...you don't have to worry and think about it. I told him that it is instinct...even babies know when it's time to swallow and no one teaches them. Your body just knows. I have told him that the choking feeling only happens with oranges (and bacon, he said) cause they are stringy. Eric suggested that he count a certain number of times before swallowing, but then he was methodically counting every bite and somethings don't need to be chewed as much as others. I was really worried for a few days that he was bordering on an eating disorder. We found things in several trashes that he had spit out around the house after chewing them. It was causing him so much anxiety that he was having stomach aches everyday.
He is eating a little better now, but we still have to tell him to swallow and he is worried still that he might choke. We are making sure he is eating enough, but it is painful somedays to have to constantly tell him to swallow every bite at meals. Any of you have any words of wisdom?
5 comments:
That's a hard one. We never went through it, but I'm sure it's pretty common for kids. Hopefully it will be short-lived. I really like his preschool picture. It's amazing how much he resembles Alex.
wow, i have no idea. That is difficult. maybe telling him he will have to eat baby food the rest of his life might make him want to return to being a "big boy". Got me! Sorry Rozanne!
My sister used to have that same anxiety, I'll have to ask her about it. That is so frustrating. We have the opposite problem with Jackson. He wolfs his food down so fast we are afraid he will choke on it all the time.
So sad! I hope it passes soon. Poor little guy-I guess not so little anymore! I can't believe he is five. You've probably already though of this, but maybe he needs a blessing from Eric??? :)
The poor little guy. Is there anything that will put his mind off of it while he's eating. Maybe cartoons or something? I really don't know. Hopefully he gets over it soon. Good luck.
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