Toddler suddenly choking on bottle

[MissTwiggley]

My little boy seems to be choking on his bottle every night (and sometimes during the day). I took him to the GP but she seemed unconcerned and adopted a wait and see approach.

Is this normal or a phase that toddlers outgrow? It appeared overnight and has continued for around three weeks. Is there anything I can do to help him? I've tried propping him up while asleep.

Thanks.

[EnchantedGrace]

Is there any other choking issues? Like, with food? Unwell? Swallowing?

[MissTwiggley]

Is there any other choking issues? Like, with food? Unwell? Swallowing?

Hi lovely. He chokes on the odd occasion while eating, but nothing out of the ordinary. It has me baffled.

Judging by the lack of responses, I guess I am the only one who has a toddler with this issue.

[EnchantedGrace]

Yeah, I'm stumped...

Mine just shoves his hands down his throat to induce vomiting

[MissTwiggley]

Yeah, I'm stumped...

Mine just shoves his hands down his throat to induce vomiting

Omg. Far out. Ds3? These kids hey.

[EnchantedGrace]

Omg. Far out. Ds3? These kids hey.

Yep. He's done it since about 10 months old 😑 I'm to the point now that we are going to request an ENT referral 🤷♀️

[MissTwiggley]

Yep. He's done it since about 10 months old ������ I'm to the point now that we are going to request an ENT referral ������♀️

I hope he's okay. What do you suspect? I admit I had some dark thoughts when he kept choking night after night. I still kind of do. I'm worried he may have a growing obstruction?

Unless - And I just thought about this now - he's just utterly exhausted and has forgotten how to swallow through tiredness? Might take him for a second opinion.

[granny1]

My DS used to choke when having her bottle. It was for attention as as soon as she started to choke someone would rush in and pick her up. I stopped going to her unless it was really bad and she eventually outgrew it. Same with sticking her fingers down her throat. She soon stopped.

Hopefully it’s nothing serious.

[MissTwiggley]

My DS used to choke when having her bottle. It was for attention as as soon as she started to choke someone would rush in and pick her up. I stopped going to her unless it was really bad and she eventually outgrew it. Same with sticking her fingers down her throat. She soon stopped.

Hopefully it’s nothing serious.

99% of the time, he is asleep (sometimes completely wiped out to the point of drooling) by the time he begins having his bottle. I rock him for about 20 minutes and then put him down in bed. So I don't think it's attention-seeking.

I'm not sure what to make of it. Ds2 did the fingers down the throat for fun for a little while. It lasted about a month. Hopefully, this is just some weird phase.

[Mum-I-Am]

Toddler suddenly choking on bottle

99% of the time, he is asleep (sometimes completely wiped out to the point of drooling) by the time he begins having his bottle. I rock him for about 20 minutes and then put him down in bed. So I don't think it's attention-seeking.

I'm not sure what to make of it. Ds2 did the fingers down the throat for fun for a little while. It lasted about a month. Hopefully, this is just some weird phase.

If he is asleep he probably can’t swallow properly. The bottle would still slowly drip without him sucking and it would build up in his mouth. I know I would struggle to swallow if someone poured water into my mouth when asleep.

[Kalina]

99% of the time, he is asleep (sometimes completely wiped out to the point of drooling) by the time he begins having his bottle. I rock him for about 20 minutes and then put him down in bed. So I don't think it's attention-seeking.

I'm not sure what to make of it. Ds2 did the fingers down the throat for fun for a little while. It lasted about a month. Hopefully, this is just some weird phase.

I don't have any wisdom to share [MENTION=149713]MissTwiggley[/MENTION], but wanted to say that I hope you can work out what's causing it. Completely understand your dilemma - on the one hand maybe it is just tiredness, on the other we all know they can drink in their sleep from birth. I don't know when that instinctive ability wanes or disappears. If someone gave me, as an adult, a bottle while I was asleep I'd choke - but DD2 can swallow milk in her sleep at 2.

I think your instincts are right, a second opinion can't hurt and can only (hopefully) put your mind at ease.

[MissTwiggley]

[MENTION=127453]Mum-I-Am[/MENTION], I too would have trouble swallowing in my sleep; however, I have been putting him to sleep this way since he was an infant with no issue, hence my concern.

[MENTION=150759]Kalina[/MENTION], you might be right. Maybe the instinct does wane around this age. He has started to occasionally skip his day nap so he could be exhausted more than usual, and it's exacerbating it.