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13 month baby eats only when distracted
Hi Doctor,
My son is 13 months and 10 days old. He was born at 35 weeks and currently weighs around 8 kg.
He has always had feeding issues. He eats only when distracted and has a very poor intake of solid foods. He had a tongue-tie and lip-tie release at 3 months. He is otherwise active, sleeps well, and his urine and stool output are normal. We are also giving him iron syrup as advised by his pediatrician.
We’ve tried feeding him in a high chair, offering different foods and textures, and encouraging self-feeding, but he mostly just smashes or throws the food. Even with distraction, he usually takes only 3–4 bites and then tightly shuts his mouth and refuses to eat.
Do you think we should consult a pediatric feeding therapist? If yes, could you please recommend a good feeding specialist in Gurugram, preferably someone experienced in managing feeding issues in 12–18-month-old toddlers and transitioning to independent eating .
Answers (10)
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Hello.
I can understand how difficult this must be for you. You have clearly tried a lot of things and still struggling.
- Try to have a fixed schedule and make it a family activity, especially for the three big meals.
- Feed him what you’re having. The child must feel included.
- Don’t give milk as replacement.
- Give water sips in between meals and during meals if he demands.
- Don’t give in to distracting with screens, this will only make things difficult for you in the long run.
- Offer him food for 20-30 minutes, if he doesn’t eat, Offer him feed again after 1 hour.
- Don’t develop the habit of grazing: it is when you are constantly offering him food or snacks without a window in between, so he nibbles only some amount.
- Never force feed, the baby wants to be in control and force feeding makes it worse.
Remember: Any habit making or training takes no less than 4-6 weeks. Beyond everything, you’ll need loads of patience.
Next Steps
- It will be better if you get a consultation in person. After ruling out any organic cause, we can work on the behavioural matter.
Health Tips
You decide WHAT the baby eats,
The baby decides HOW much he eats.
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Consult in person
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I need to ask few more questions before answering your query.
Early consultations can prevent complications.
Kindly contact me on whatsapp chat
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Dr Faisal Zoheb
MBBS , MD PAEDIATRICS , PGPN (BOSTON), FELLOWSHIP IN NEONATOLOGY ( Newborn and vaccination specialist )
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Make the child sit along with you and have meal time together
This way we can minimise distractions little bit
Have consistent meal times so that they will be hungry by next meal time
Rather than quantity of food he consume we can make the food nutrient dense
No snacks or other foods before meal times
Health Tips
You can continue iron and vitamin D supplements
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Greetings
Consulting a pediatric feeding therapist is recommended when mealtimes become stressful battles or if a child persists in food refusal for over a month.Your son's reliance on distractions to increase intake and failure to progress to advanced textures are key clinical red flags for feeding difficulties.Restricted tongue mobility from a history of ties can specifically cause trouble moving food, gagging, or avoiding certain textures due to discomfort.A specialist can help address these oral motor challenges to ensure he transitions safely to independent eating and avoids long-term aversions.In Gurugram, KinderCure (Sector 67) is highly rated for managing pediatric nutrition and persistent feeding issues.Other specialized centers include Blissful Care (Sector 45), which offers dedicated feeding therapy programs for infants and toddle
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Hello
So this baby’s weight is less at lower level of normal range but acceptable if developmental mile stones, his growth patterns had been consistent considering his corrected age.
Maintain scheduled feeding pattern without distractions, avoid giving milk as a replacement of solids. Give him small frequent feeds rather than in large quantities. Give him whole fruits, vegetables, finger foods and continue iron syrup as advised by your paediatrician.
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Dr. Bhatt Vivek Prafulchandra
Pediatrician
5 yrs exp
Rajkot
Consult with Pediatrician physically for further evaluation and treatment
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Dr. Venkatesh Badugu
Pediatrician
9 yrs exp
Hyderabad
Consult physically
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Dr. Tangade Vishal Bhanudas
Pediatrician
4 yrs exp
Pune
Visit physically to nearby pediatrician.
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Dr. Mahak Arora
Pediatrician
10 yrs exp
New Delhi
consult the doctor physically for further evaluation
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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.