Q: My three-year-old has a hard time swallowing food she doesn’t like. She chews meat and vegetables forever, but she can swallow treats just fine. I may be a softie, but I really do believe she’s unable to swallow these things, as opposed to just not wanting to. Do you have any advice?
A: Some kids are extremely sensitive to food tastes and textures. These same children may also have issues with the feel of certain fabrics. What are the textures of the “treats” she swallows? If she chews and swallows a solid cookie or candy, it’s unlikely that she has a physical problem, but if she chokes, vomits, coughs or wheezes when she eats, it might be time for further investigation. An occupational therapist could help you in slowly desensitizing your daughter. You being a “softie” may have led to this behaviour, but it’s definitely not too late to change it.