If your child is gagging when they eat, don’t worry! You are not alone. This is a common issue that many parents face. And while it can be anxiety-inducing, it doesn’t have to be an immediate cause for concern because gagging can be caused by a number of things. If you find yourself worrying often about feeding your child safely, hopefully reading this article will calm your fears.
By: Abbie Gacke M.A. CCC-SLP, CLC
If your child is gagging when they eat, don’t worry! You are not alone. This is a common issue that many parents face. And while it can be anxiety-inducing, it doesn’t have to be an immediate cause for concern because gagging can be caused by a number of things. If you find yourself worrying often about feeding your child safely, hopefully reading this article will calm your fears.
Believe it or not, gagging is actually a very common part of feeding when starting your baby on solids. Here are some things to remember about gagging during mealtimes:
Choking and gagging are very different, and it’s important to know the difference so you know what’s “normal” versus when you should intervene. Here’s how to identify when your baby is gagging, which is expected, versus when they are choking:
Choking is a life-threatening event when a foreign object becomes lodged in the airway causing a blockage of airflow. This may require immediate intervention if your:
Gagging is a protective mechanism that causes the child to protrude the tongue quickly forward and expel any food nearing the airway. It should resolve quickly and may look like:
Knowing how to respond to an accident or medical emergency related to feeding will help you feel more prepared when starting solids with your child. With this in mind, it’s important to always be alert, mindful, and positive during mealtimes, and being CPR- and First Aid-trained can give you an extra boost of confidence. Here are some other ways to make difficult foods safer when your baby is first starting solids:
Thank you, Abbie Gacke M.A. CCC-SLP, CLC for writing this article! You can find her on Instagram for more feeding tips, tricks, and real-life examples for supporting your baby’s feeding development.
Hungry for more? If you have a baby 3 months or older, take our Feeding your Baby Solids Course! It covers the most important feeding topics and answers questions you didn’t even know you had. The best part is that it’s all broken down into short, easy-to-understand videos for you to watch on your own time and at your own pace, even while doing the dishes. It will help you THRIVE when feeding your little one, we promise! For babies 3+ months old.