Feeding concerns

Q: My 10-month-old has refused to take a bottle for the past few weeks. He freaks out if he sees it coming his way and won’t let me put it in his mouth. I’ve tried formula, breastmilk and even homogenized milk — I’ve also gone through three different sets of bottles and several sippy cups. He eats well during the day and sleeps through the night, but I’m lucky if I can get him to drink one bottle in a whole day. Any advice?

A: Too often symptoms like fever, vomiting or behavioural changes are incorrectly attributed to teething problems but, in this case, that might be exactly what’s going on. If you’ve ruled out problems with lactose digestion, I would consider whether your son might find sucking painful because his gums are irritated from teething. Keep trying to give him milk in a cup every few days; add vitamin D and calcium to his diet with yogurt, cheese, and milk in his cereal. Also, remember that whether he’s drinking breastmilk or homogenized milk, he still needs a daily vitamin D supplement.