Having Trouble with 15 Month Old Gagging Herself

Updated on August 27, 2007
R.S. asks from North Scituate, RI
7 answers

My daughter has always been one to gag herself. However, lately she has been doing it to the point of throwing up. Probably 4 times in the past week. Telling her no just amuses her & makes her do it again. Ignoring her doesn't seem to have any impact. She seems to only do it at night. I can't tell if it's a teething thing or just a bad habit.

What can I do next?

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M.T.

answers from Providence on

Hiya Raine,
My daughter did the same thing when she was bout 18-20 months old. She would gag and delight in seeing her parents jump up to see what's wrong! We started ignoring it and eventually she grew out of it, but she also never did it to the point of vomiting. I think she was just experimenting with new sensations (her newest one is pushing her girl-bits during a diaper change and giggling while going "Beep!"). I hope you find a solution, vomit is never fun!

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J.

answers from Boston on

My daughter does this too. She is 2. I notice with her she that now does it when she is upset. But I was glad to see this post, because I had thought it was so unusual.

I told my peditrician when she first starting doing and he said not to make a big deal of it at all, or draw to much attention to it.

However, he also said if she continues to do it could be a problem and that some children do this. If it is only at night perhaps it is teething, or maybe she feel insecure at night? or trying to get attention? or likes to have things in her mouth? Does she suck her thumb or use a pacifer?

My daughter was doing this habitually when she first discovered how to do it, but now she does it only very infreguently - if she is really upset.

I will be curious to see what responses you get, as it kind of completely baffles me. I usually try to distract her. We have this game where she likes me to kiss one foot that the other. She thinks me kissing her feet is very funny, and she usually forgets about it.

I'd talk to your peditrician. Mine's advice of not making a big deal of it worked for me. He said try to distract, figure out why, but not to tell her No No as it will only draw attention to it even more, and you dont want it to become a ingrained habit.

I think that the discover they can do it, so thats why they do. My daughter started at about 15 months too. She use to do it alot, I think just because it was something she had figured out how to do. And then she kind of forgot about, and now for some reason I only see her do it when she is upset. This new habit actually concerns more more. Before I think she was just experimenting. This is not something I want her to do when she is upset.

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L.P.

answers from Barnstable on

Hey R.,
One of the ladies in my nursing mom's group had this issue with her daughter. She was gagging herself and often vomiting because of it. We figured that her daughter could of been getting her molars in and was actually trying to gnaw on her fingers to get some relief. I suggested trying one of the triangle teethers I saw in a magazine or babies R us. She got the teether and it worked. No more gagging because the triangle shape could get back to her gums she didn't need to stick her little hand and all those fingers in her mouth. Also don't make a big deal about the whole issue I have hear of parents also who get dramatic every time it happens and then the baby begins doing this gagging thing just for attention. Hope it helps.
L. P.

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S.S.

answers from Portland on

i had the same problem with my now 3 year old. she was doing daily for awhile and the more i tried to stop her the more hysterical she found it. i just tried to redirect her to something else and stopped acknowledging the gagging. Within a couple of weeks she stopped.

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L.D.

answers from Boston on

My 12 month old started to do the same thing about a month ago. I brought it up with his pediatrician and he said that it is normal, that he is just experimenting. Its sensory development. My son still does it occasionally, but I find if we just ignore him...he stops. (Christopher is a very picky eater so it kills me to see him throw up anything that we were able to get him to eat!)

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J.S.

answers from Boston on

Hi R.,
I went through the same thing when my daughter was about 12-15 months. Her ped. said it was normal. She did grow out of it. Good luck!

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M.H.

answers from Boston on

My 18 month old daughter started doing this around 12 m. I told the doctor and he said it's normal and they grow out of it. It's mostly that they just discovered this reflex and a little bit of seeing your reaction. I have learned to ignore it so she will only do it when my husband is around and it always seems to be while we're eating dinner. Don't worry, they grow out of it. Genevieve barely does it anymore.
I know how frustrating it can be. Good luck!

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