Gagging is not only unpleasant to hear, but potentially very dangerous, too. A toddler who gags while he eats can easily choke. Never leave a toddler alone while he eats; stay facing him at all times since he can choke quietly while your back is turned. Examine your child’s diet if his gagging habit is affecting his ability to eat or if he does it at every meal — and discuss the issue with his pediatrician.
Texture Issues
As a toddler begins trying new foods, she might encounter textures with which she’s not familiar, causing her to gag. This can particularly be a problem if she was a picky baby and only ate a small selection of foods, or if she suffers from autism or a related disorder like Asperger syndrome. Giving her a sensory toy to chew on may help her adjust to new textures. These objects are made out of a rubbery material. Consult your child’s physician before giving her one of these toys.
Speed Eating
Many toddlers love playtime but don’t care much about eating, so your toddler may be trying to speed through the meal to get back to something he enjoys. He might place new food in his mouth before it’s empty or try to chew bites of food that are too large for his small mouth to handle. Cut his food into small pieces and put only a few on his plate at a time so he can’t stuff his mouth too quickly. Help him slow down by making mealtime calm. Turn on soothing music and speak quietly.
Flavor
Your toddler is beginning to develop and show her independence, and deciding what foods she likes or doesn’t like is part of this process. She may gag as a way of protesting certain foods and showing you she doesn’t like them. She can’t have a healthy diet if she only eats a handful of foods, so you must introduce new foods slowly. If she gags whenever she eats something new, offer her smaller bites of the new food in between bites of something she already likes.
Physical Problems
In some children, gagging can be the result of a physical problem in the mouth or throat. If your toddler's back teeth are coming in too slowly, for example, he may be unable to chew food properly, causing it to block his throat, nutritionist and lactation consultant Susan M. Leisner writes on the Fisher-Price website. Another possible cause of gagging is an abnormality in his esophagus or throat that makes swallowing difficult. These problems can cause what’s called a feeding or swallowing disorder. Any physical problem or disorder requires a trip to the doctor.
