Ideas for texture in foods

MaryEllen

Avery is learning to chew and swallow very slowly, she gags on food a lot, and often forgets to chew and swallows her food whole. I had her to the doc and he said she just needs to keep practicing, but to do it by adding texture to pureed food instead of giving her finger foods. Hopefully she will learn on her own so we don't need to see a specialist.

I'm running out of ideas though.. so far I have added barley and pasta to veggies, bananas to fruits/cereal, chicken to veggies, and have given her roughly mashed bananas, pears, and avocado. She is good with thin slices of cheese, risotto, small bits of mac and cheese, and sometimes I can get her to chew cheerios. Any suggestions for other things I can do to add texture to her food? I'm not giving her yogurt yet because she has gotten an awful diaper rash every time we have tried it.

Thanks!!