Gagging

[Lin3579]

I am a nanny for a 3 year old boy.  Other than the problem to be discussed, he is a normal, smart, articulate, and mischievous boy.  Since he started eating solid foods as a baby, be displayed signs of a strong gag reflex.  Now at 3 years old, if he eats certain foods, he will gag to the point of throwing up.  He can somewhat control it, as when we are eating together and he starts to gag, he will chew the food in a different way to avoid this happening.  When I asked the Mom to mention to the pediatrician they said he was just enforcing his control over eating.  I disagree, he doesn't want to throw up and gag, he tries not to, but it just happens.  Also he has had a problem with drooling, where excess drool has been pouring out of his mouth, which has mostly subsided as of recent months, but still sometimes it will happen.  Also, when dressing, he gags whenever he puts a shirt on.  Collared shirts are the worst, but it happens with regular shirts as well.  I have been working with children for close to 20 years and have never seen a gag reflex this extreme and have always followed my instincts, and this is telling my it needs to be addressed.  Do you have any suggestions as to what may be the problem.

[txjarvis]

I know for my son, his gag was/is closer to the front of his mouth than most people, so the slightest things made him gag.  Just how he was made.