Fish or fowl?
It's definitely a kid thing, I think I can be confident in asserting that distinction. I've never seen or read about any adult doing it. I don't think it's an autism thing. I think it's a sensory thing, which usually amounts to faulty wiring somewhere along the system. That said, because adults don't do it, this must mean that whatever it is, disappears as you grow up. Perhaps you feel the same way, but find better ways of dealing with the matter? I need grown ups to tell us, let us in on the secret.
It's an odd thing to watch, but not a pleasant thing to observe. You can sort of see it happening but for some reason, you're not able to stop them doing it, at least not in time.
The child sits before the bowl of food. It can be any kind of food but something that in theory, they're willing to eat. They also do it with food that they really like, preferred food, so it's not a question of taste or even hunger. Sometimes they're in a hurry and that might explain it sometimes, but now I've seen it in my own two boys and another boy, who is not biologically related to us, I can only conclude that it's more common than I thought.
Say it's something like Goldfish crackers, just for a handy example that happens to be a preferred food for any number of children for some unaccountable reason. They munch handfuls of the things. Chomp, chomp, chomp, even if they're not very good at mastication. Before they've swallowed the mouthful, they stuff another handful in and then another. You can see it register in their eyes first, a glimmer of confusion quickly followed by alarm, quickly followed by ejection.
I suspect that these type of children are also wired with super strong gag reflex, which is just as well under the circumstances. The chin will drop and a tongue will slowly disgorge a perfect pellet of pounded putridness, half the size of a cricket ball, considerably large than the size of the oral cavity itself and shaped like a quenelle. Broadly speaking they do not appear to be overly traumatized by the experience and often start to eat a fresh handful of Goldfish without skipping a beat.
It doesn't look like greed. It looks like an owl regurgitating, slow, deliberate and controlled. Do they forget to swallow? Do they have no taste buds? Do they lack the musculature to manipulate the food to the back of their throats? Do they not register that their mouths are already full? Of course I can't be sure, and I expect it differs from one child to another, but for mine I think it's a combination of the latter with a general lack of interest in food.
What's your experience? Does this make any sense? Have you ever known an adult to do this?
September 15th, 2007 at 6:27 am
Ahem, yes. A few years ago my husband’s cousin visited and proceeded to clean out my refrigerator (he asked, of course) and one thing disappeared after another, and in rapid fire order, all while a most literate conversation about writing and movies was going on, with us and another friend was there (one of your countrymen, who teaches American history in the South). (Everyone started to eat, actually……)
Of course, Charlie is quite the scarfer! French fries preferred, frozen edamame on other occasions.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:16 am
I wanted to leave a desent comment but junior is up now and forcing my hand off the mouse.
I think I will go make the “pocket pitas” I got for lunch, put them in the fridge for later.
WWIII is in my living room!
September 15th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I’ve done it when I’ve had too much to drink.
Gotta admit: I haven’t seen my kids do this. Maybe I don’t feed them enough Goldfish?
September 15th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Please don’t throw eggs benedict at me! Or pelt me with Goldfish pellets. In addition to poor motor planning issues and the other physical issues we discuss, a possible reason is that one of the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning is decreased ability to feel the inside of the mouth. A numbness. I’m going to duck and walk out now, OK? Can I still come back later?
September 15th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Ooo don’t be so daft – as if! I have heard of that one. My problem [trouble?] is that I’m outstanding, or rather overdue on a whole slew of tests, things like the allergies and the eczema, the tummy troubles, the vision [depth perception] but there are waiting lists for everything assuming you can find a ‘good’ expert in the field that you’re trying to test for in the first place!
Love m
September 15th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
It’s easier to get into Bin Laden’s cave than some of the expert docs. Sad but true.
Thanks. Kim
September 15th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Completely normal. My son used to do it when he was younger and my daughter does it now.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
oh my … my kid totally shovels in it.
So normal. Whatever normal is.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
My son doesn’t do it as much as he had, but it still happens every now and then.
September 15th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
My son hasn’t done the “shovel and spit” routine for a while now but it used to happen quite often when he was younger. He just didn’t seem to know what the capacity of his mouth was or realise that he had to swallow first before forcing another mouthful in. I’ve also seen some “near misses” in the office canteen. And we’re talking about adults here.
September 16th, 2007 at 8:53 am
When Noah was younger he sometimes seemed to eat too much too quickly and not chew much at all……and he would tend to choke. He has a VERY STRONG gag reflex……always has…….though it has improved with time and age. When he eats macaroni and cheese he does not even bother to chew it. he sticks forkfuls into his mouth and swallows it whole!
I think he has issues with chewing properly………something. Or he did. I know certain textures of foods he cannot seem to tolerate or chew….he does not even want them in his mouth or on his tongue. I have never seen him eat and eat and eat and then spit out a big glob of food all at one time……but he did used to eat bites of like chicken nuggets to the point where he would choke……because he did not seem to take time chewing them up properly before trying to swallow.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:28 am
Both my kids did it. Older brother is NT and did exactly what you described. Patrick still does it sometimes. I always got the feeling it was related to problems with delayed gratification (food is in mouth but tummy is still hungry, better put more in).