A member asked:
We have a child thats 9 and she has downs she got choked a week ago and want eat we have tryed everything we can think of we took her to the hospita and they diddnt find anything any suggestion on how we can get her to eat
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Mark Shihanswered
Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine 33 years experience
Children : Children with Down syndrome have issues of low muscle tone which can affect their ability to chew and swallow foods effectively. If she recently had an episode of choking on food, this very well may have shaken her confidence, making her feel scared to try certain foods at this point.
The best strategy at this point is probably to have her seen by her pediatrician and likely a pediatric speech therapist who can help guide you in getting her back on the road to safe and effective eating. The assessment would likely include a careful assessment of her swallowing skills and recommendations as to where she can safely and confidently begin. Recommendations may be made such as for thickening of liquids or keeping solid foods to certain consistencies to make it easier to swallow them.
The most important point is not to force feed the child as this will end up having the reverse effect of making her feel less safe and more fearful of eating.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 3, 2016
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