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hi,
DS has recently been sticking his fingers down his throat and making himself gag, sometimes vomit. we think it's just exploration of a new thing but it's been persisting for a couple of weeks now. DH and i have taken the approach of ignoring it (showing no reaction when he does it) and hoping it will go away.
anyone else had this issue? any advice?
TIA :D
DD did this for a period of time too, we did the same, made no reaction to her doing it so she didnt just do it for attention. she eventually figured out it wasnt pleasant and stopped doing it
DS did this for a while too. I can't remember when exactly, but sometime between his 1st and 2nd birthdays. He would often make himself vomit. Ignoring worked really well, but he still does it on occasion now at 2yrs2months, usually as part of a tantrum, to express his rage. He bites the back of his hand also.
DS1 did this at about 18 months too. I thought he must have been teething at first but it seems it was just a phase. I didn't make a big deal out of it, though tried to distract him when out as people would give me funny looks. :lol: He stopped before too long and hasn't done it in quite some time.
Is it a tanty thing? DD1 started doing this a couple of months back, when she wasn't getting her own way or was being told off for doing something naughty... DH and I just ignore her or tell her to go right ahead and make herself sick, usually that discourages her when she works out it's not going to get her any attention (or persuade us to let her have her own way when she's being naughty)... my mum always freaks out and makes a fuss over her when she does it and it just encourages her.
I know it's hard, but usually they figure out pretty quick that it's not nice to make themselves sick and they'll get over it if you just ignore it... good luck :)
thanks everyone. we were hoping it was just a phase - good to know that other bubs around his age have done it too.
gothmum - it doesn't seem to be a tanty thing. he does it at random times - sometimes in the car, sometimes at home.
berrme - thanks for the advice to distract him. we'll give that a try to.
thanks again everyone :D
I worked in childcare and there was about a 12 month old boy who did this while we tried to feed him. It was his very unsubtle way of throwing a tantrum about not wanting to eat his lunch.
It was particularly gross because often he'd bring back up more than we could put in!
It was a phase, until he realised we were buying into it. I think he was still doing it at home so he was still exclusively on breast fed at home and on solids in care - his mum was pretty impressed we could get him to eat, but I guess for us there wasn't any emotional attachment when he threw up, whereas i can imagine him crying and vomitting would be INCREDIBLY stressful for his mummy - I dont know what I'd have done if it was Jasper!!!
I think you're doing the best thing and not reacting, he's probably just exploring as you said, he'll realise that its not a particularly pleasant thing to do and it doesn't get him any attention or anything, so he'll more than likely find something more fun to do!
my DD does this sometimes.
I worked out she does it to get a rise out of me
If i give her attention and tell her to stop or not to do it she does it more .
Yes she does vomit sometimes if i keep going on .
BUt i found if i ignore her - no matter how loud she makes the noise she will stop after a few seconds.
we're sticking with the ignoring. it's horrible to see, especially when he barfs up his lunch. hopefully it will pass soon. yuk!