Thrive Therapies, LLC
Red Flags for Eating and Drinking Problems
If your child is showing some of the following signs, it may be helpful to talk to your doctor or another health professional, such as a speech language pathologist, occupational therapist, dietician or health nurse.
Arching or stiffening of the body during feeding
Coughing or choking during feeding
Being very irritable/fussy during or after feeding
Taking a really long time to feed (more than 30-45 minutes)
Frequent spitting up
Getting sick often with pneumonia or chest infections
Gurgly, hoarse, or breathy voice
Less than normal weight gain or growth
Lots of leakage of food or liquid from the mouth
Coughing, gagging or throwing up during or after meals
Stuffing mouth with food
Holding food inside pockets in mouth for long periods
Difficulty accepting new textures of food, avoidance behaviours to specific foods and textures (gagging, vomiting, blocking the spoon with hands or closed lips, crying, pushing food away, etc.)
Abnormal bowel movements that last longer than a few days (diarrhea, constipation, loose stool)
Skin reactions to foods (dry patches, hives, rashes) Note: If your child seems to be having a severe allergic reaction to a food (difficulty breathing, turning red, developing hives or rash on the face/chest), you should seek medical help immediately.