Toddler Will Only Eat Gogurt

by Traci
(Michigan)

My son is 3 years old. We've been seeing an OT for 4 months with not a lot of progress, which is understandable. My son will eat chips, crackers, cookies, peanuts all the time.




His meals consist of Gogurt every single meal, every single day. He won't even eat yogurt from a cup, it has to be in the tube. I understand that the OT will take time. I've read a lot on the subject of SPD and my son definitely has it. He gags on everything that isn't crunchy or liquid.

He sometimes shows interest in what my husband and I are eating but won't try it and usually runs away. His OT thinks that it'll just be like a light bulb goes on one day and it'll all make sense to him. I'm so hopeful that this is the case. He refuses to eat cake, cupcakes, pancakes, pizza, chicken, you name it - he won't eat it. The day that he eats a piece of his own birthday cake, I'll cry tears of joy.

He's the sweetest boy and smart as a whip. I love everything about him and wouldn't change a thing but I hate to see him struggle with this. We try working on things at home - making bologna/cheese cutouts with cookie cutters, Nuk brush, etc. he's very resistant to do these things at home but is more willing at the OT. As a result, we have a hard time furthering his progress with "homework".



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Jan 02, 2024
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starstarstarstarstar 		HELP
by: Anonymous

Hi, this is exactly my son! Can ypu please provide an update and avdise if there was something specific that worked?
Jul 05, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		solution to toddler eats Gogurt
by: Anonymous

Try putting the food put in the blender!Have him also play with the blended food before eating it!
Jul 15, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Same as my son
by: Anonymous

That sounds like my son too. Around 2 years old he stopped eating any meat and grains. He refused to try any new food, used to run away from the table if there was something unfamiliar and smelled differently. His diet mostly consisted of cheese sticks, yogurt, fruits, potato fries, crackers and cookies.

We tried occupational therapy for almost 1 and half years with not much improvement. He would try a new food for a reward like a candy, he would still gag if he tried non preferred food. Most of the time he would have feel nervous trying something new on his plate. Recently I've started to cut non preferred food like chicken nugget or salami on tiny tiny bits and asked him to try those. He would try it and swallow it for a reward now. I'm also increasing the size of those bits. That is helping us to expand his food list for now.

Good luck to all the moms with feeding struggles!
Aug 11, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you for this post
by: Anonymous

Traci: The thing that caught my eye about your original post was the sentence about, if he ever eats a piece of his own birthday cake, I'll cry tears of joy. That is something I've thought many times about my own son. I'm so happy to see that your son did make progress. He must be about 10 years old now. How are things today?

Anyway, just wanted to say this story gives me hope. Also, I wanted to say to Tik below, my child is very much like yours. You are not alone. When my son was younger, he would eat nearly anything we would give him, no problem. Fruit, a chopped beef BBQ sandwich, almost anything. And then, when he was around 15 or 18 months old, things started to change drastically. His eating got worse and worse until we ended up where we are now, at 3 years old and only eating like a total of 5-6 things, ever. I couldn't understand why he used to eat things but would not now. But I finally realized that it was his developing brain. You know, some SPD children, as babies, will eat whatever you put in front of them. But as their brains develop and the SPD becomes more prevalent, their tolerance of textures can and will change. Once they realize, hey, I don't like how that feels in my mouth, then they're going to act on that feeling and refuse foods. In my son's case, most foods. Tik, I hope you found a good therapist for helping your child. We go to OT (and speech therapy) and we're trying every day. Not seeing much progress yet, but I won't give up.
May 13, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Give me some hope
by: Tik

Please give me some hope . My son is 2.3 years and it has been 9 months that he eats only crackers, yogurt and sometimes drink juice. Before 1.5 years of age he would eat everything but blended food. All of a sudden he refuses to eat and it's been 9 months already! Give me some hope! Sometimes I don't want to live! So tired of this struggle! Can see him like this :( please help
Sep 12, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Still very little progress
by: Anonymous

My son is almost three and has been in therapy for over six months for SPD. He will only eat stage 2 jar foods and crunchy foods. Everything else in between is a no-no for him. It has been so frustrating. The therapist now wants me to cut out the jar food "cold turkey". I'm really concerned because he will only take small bites of a stage three and he hates it. He will only do it for a reward of having a sip of juice afterwards. When the OT does it, he will take one bite, but for me he wont do it at all--not even for the reward. If I stop the jar food--he will literally become a "snacker" eating only chips,crackers and pretzels. I am told to offer table food (mac and cheese), banana's, etc and give it to him--if he refuses then he doesn't eat. I'm not sure I agree with this and don't know what to do. I'm starting to dread feeding time more than my son. Any suggestions?
Mar 07, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Toddler eating only Gogurt update
by: Traci

Hi.

We saw an OT. She was awesome with him! She would work with him, gradually having him look at different food, then having him "kiss" it, then take a bite of it. As a reward, he got to play in the tumble room that they had for kids with physical disabilities. We also had a reward system. Plus we had a star chart at home, he would get two stars for every new food he tried. When he got 7 stars, he could pick an "earner" from the bag. It would also go the other way - if he refused to try a new food, he would have to sit in time out. That may sound bad and believe me, I felt guilty about it for a while. He can't help it and we're punishing him for it. I asked the OT about that and she said it was fine to do that as long as you explain to the child why he/she had to sit.

My son has started kindergarten and based upon my experiences with him, I've noticed two other little boys in his class that probably have the same kind of issues - which is surprising since I had never even heard of it before!

We're still struggling with it but there is still great improvement and we just keep on trying.

Hang in there!
Mar 04, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		3 year old son only eats 3 things
by: Anonymous

hi traci, was it an OT or speech therapist you used for your sons spd/oral defensiveness? we have been seeing at OT for a year now and not much has changed, just wondering what some of your OTs strategies she used to help him try the new foods
thanks
Jul 21, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Update on Toddler will only eat Gogurt
by: Traci

Here is an update on my son, he'll be turning 5 in about a week. I'm constantly amazed at the strides he's taken with his food. When we think back to him only eating Gogurt and crackers, it seems like a million years ago. He'll now eat ice cream, cupcakes, hot dogs, watermelon...all sorts of things. He still isn't a fan of hamburger and veggies. Won't "dip" his food in anything either but I think alot of little kids are like that. He's willing to try anything once and we always tell him that if he doesn't like something, he'll never have to eat it again (although I don't plan on stopping trying..:))
Sep 30, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Update on Toddler who only eats Gogurt
by: Traci

Since my last post, my son has graduated from "Food School" - what we called his OT. That was in March 2009. He now eats Pop Tarts, hot dogs, popcorn shrimp, lots of chicken nuggets, jello, hash browns, waffles and the big one - pancakes WITH syrup. He's willing to try anything and we tell him that he only needs to try something once and if he doesn't like it, he won't have to eat it again. It's still a challenge but he doesn't gag as much as he used to. Now, he kind of just gets the "heebie jeebies" if the texture is weird for him. He'll eat pretty much everything any other 4 year old will eat, we're still working on veggies...
Sep 29, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		picky eater
by: Anonymous

Your story sounds like my son. I don't feel my doctor or family understands how bad this problem is because my son grows at a normal rate. my main issue and why I have to stop trying to feed him at times is the gagging which turns in to throwing up. Dose any one else have this problem? It is nice to find a web site to share info with other concern mothers.
Feb 24, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		related issues?
by: Anonymous

Does he have g.i. or skin problems? Very often, gets with gluten or casein intolerance will limit their foods severely to ones that have those very substances (wheat and some other grains, and milk products).

I agree with the other poster about the downside of feeding a child from a package--the manufacturer changes it and ouch, he balks! It's awful!

Is he getting a high quality vitamin to round out his nutrition? Omega-3 supplements?

Can you introduce 1 new healthy food, repeating it at every meal?
Feb 23, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Toddler will Only Eat Gogurt and Crunchy Foods
by: Anonymous

I am so happy to hear your stories it gives me great hope. I have a three year old boy that only likes to eat popcorn, chips, apples, and gogurt. And yes it has to be the gogurt in the tubes. I have bought trix and other kids varieties and he will turn it down not matter what. WE just aged out of states early intervention program and have come so far with sensory processing disorder. I feel as though all the other components have really healed except for this last issue being foods. My son also has a history of reflux and chronic ear infections.

Currently we are without a therapist and have been working on our own. It does not concern me until I see that he has not gained weight in a year, but does not look sick, just small.

Please keep posting so that I can continue to see your ideas!!!
Feb 09, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		I'm happy for you!
by: Jessi

It will continue to get better! My son went from eating pretty much just peanut butter sandwiches and hot dogs to where we are now. Drum roll please... he eats a variety of meats, sandwiches, vegetables, fruits - it's amazing!

We also use a reward system. We have two boys (although one is a very good eater and always has been) - we have a chalkboard up near their eating area and we draw a weekly chart. Each day that they finish everything on their plate (generally a meat and two veggies) they get a smiley face. At the end of the week they get a small toy or book as a reward if they have all smiley faces. This has been very effective for my picky eater, especially to get him to try something new. He just seems healthier now that he eats - he's still skinny, but not so scrawny looking.

Good luck - you're on the right path!
Feb 08, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		One Little Bite
by: Anonymous

What worked for us was One Little Bite. We put it in Bowl #1. He had to eat it before he got the rest of his food. We always chose something very, very similar to the things he already liked, and in this way gradually stretched his food preferences.

At age 12, he eats a healthy diet now, though not a full diet, and he occasionally freaks out about what's on his plate. We still go with the One Little Bite rule and hope for more improvement each day.

There is a slideshow on www.slideshare.net about Asperger's and eating -- it's called Living On Thin Air. You might find it interesting.
Feb 05, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Update on Toddler will Only Eat Gogurt
by: Traci

I wanted to post an update on my son. It's been just about a year that we've been going to OT. He has made alot of progress if you look at the "big picture". He will eat popcorn chicken if we call them "bumpy fries". He will eat oatmeal, sliced hot dogs, apple slices, pudding, sloppy joe meat...he tolerates these foods so he can get a "new food" star on his star chart. He wouldn't normally just ask for any of those things on his own. However, that's a giant improvement from when we started and he would be visibly stressed out just by the sight of food that he wasn't familiar with.

Also, he has started to feed himself Trix yogurt with a spoon. He is VERY resistant to any change at all - be it new shoes, different winter coat, etc. Potty training should be a real treat! :)

I just wanted to post this so that people can see that there is a light at the end of the picky eating tunnel....We still have a long way to go but I'm confident that we'll get there..
Feb 04, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		thank you
by: rachel

I read the first few lines of your message and thought you could have been talking about my daughter. She will only eat yogurt from a tube, a specific brand, and the flavor varies from blueberry to strawberry every few weeks.

Unfortunately, the company has recently changed their packaging and now she won't eat it at all. I actually tried to dig some old tubes out of the trash to see if I could refill them! Of course I didn't, but that's how frustrating it gets sometimes. She also only prefers crunchy. She just turned 4 and has just been diagnosed so I thank you for your story. It helps.
Sep 22, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		Progress Rpt. for Toddler/Gogurt
by: Traci

We started OT in March and have made slight improvement since then. My son's main food is still gogurt but we've slowly began getting him to accept new foods: pepperoni cooked until they're crispy, hash browns from Burger King. Every new thing is cause for celebration in our house. It's become apparent that my son has SPD but he's also VERY stubborn. We have the most success when we just put the food near him while he's playing and don't make a big deal about it. Combos are another good one - the crackers with the cheese inside, good for the texture combination.
Jun 02, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		Oral Stimulation
by: Jessi

Ask the OT about oral stimulation that may be helpful. I told my OT to work specifically on getting him to eat and it was very helpful. Not sure exactly what they did, but I'm assuming it had something to do with oral motor skills. One thing we do is use an electric toothbrush - I've read that it can help with oral defensiveness.

My son used to be very picky - however, not quite as limited as he would eat almost anything with bread. One thing I might suggest is to start out with bland foods that are completely separate - never mixed. My son was very squeamish about foods that were mixed together. He is still terrible with vegetables and no, he won't eat his own birthday cake either - but I have seen definite improvement in the last few months.

One other tip - have someone besides you offer the new foods. My son knows that I don't ever want him to feel unhappy and will refuse to eat things for me that he will eat for other people. Also - it's just like anything else, some days he eats great and some days he'll only eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches or a plain hot dog. I would be careful about trying to sneak things into foods that your child likes because that can backfire big time!
May 30, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		Keep Trying
by: vicky

Our daughter is 10 and at one time she would only eat gogurt, rolled up ham and pickles. She has now progressed to many many more foods but the key is to keep trying. When you eat put some of what you are eating on his plate and of course make a big deal. Our daughter still cannot eat concoctions like chili mac or chicken alfredo, etc. anything mixed with something else. There is hope.

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