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Eats Solid and Semi-Solid Foods

“Breakin’ Bread”

  • Using foods of different textures, allow your child to accept new foods.
  • Position the food toward the back of your child’s mouth to elicit a swallow.
  • Position your child at a 90-degree angle whenever introducing foods or liquids.
  • Lightly massage your child’s lower jaw and neck to facilitate a swallow.
  • Make sure utensils are an appropriate size for your child.
  • Comment on how good the food is, “MMMM”. Verbally instruct you child to chew and swallow.
  • Introduce your child to a variety of semi-solid and solid foods.
  • Present one new food at each meal.
  • Model eating the new food introduced.
  • Vary the texture of the same food (e.g., present a piece of chicken in its regular form, then grind it or puree it).  This way the taste and temperature remain the same and only the texture varies.
  • Allow a sufficient amount of time for each meal. Remain calm and do not rush him to eat.
  • Give your child’s favorite food plus a small amount of the new food.  Increase the amount of new food until your child is eating only the new one.
  • Semi-solids can be thickened by adding other foods to it (e.g., yogurts with fruit, oatmeal with fruit).
  • Vary solids and liquids during meals.  Gradually increase the amount of solids introduced.