Anne, you're getting great suggestions and with the conference, no doubt you have received additional input. As others have suggested, this pattern does suggest a consideration of sensory integration issues. In addition, both the gag response and birth trauma continue to be of interest, to my thinking more so than a later interest in table foods. I do want to underscore another point others have made. It is not at all unusual for a healthy 15 month old, nursing ad lib and parented as described, to be slow to the family dinner table. Most toddlers are happily finger-feeding by two years and the vast majority of so-called "late-feeders" I've seen are chunky, happy kids developing normally in terms of speech and motor skills. Toddlers who have embraced solids at 6 months or 16 months may still exasperate their parents with unpredictable eating patterns. This isn't to say we shouldn't attend the child who is late to the family table, only that we should keep an open eye to normal patterns of nursing and child-initiated solids. While it is currently considered normal and appropriate to offer complementary foods around 6 months, many apparently healthy, well-fed children are less than enthused at this age. The issue is many-faceted but certainly relates to "normal" biological nursing/weaning patterns which time will no doubt show are tremendously misunderstood at present! Frequently we see reference to children "self-weaning" when other factors spring up between a child and the expected progression at the breast. We see this phrase used even when the child's age is measured in months. Currently I am in Saudi Arabia where local thinking is that a child should be nursed for 2 years but no more. In speaking with women I have yet to hear any hint of "self-weaning" before this age, only references to the need to stop, the desire to stop, and the ways to stop. I will continue to listen to women's stories with an ear for this, mindful of the many ways culture influences what we hear and see. Going back to this particular mother's case, my biggest concern is the mother's concern. Mothers know their children and therefore mothers' concerns should always be given respect. While it may be that this child simply needs to begin solids later, the question of why is certainly important. There may be big reasons, there may be small reasons. I look forward to the follow-up. Susan Johnson MFA, IBCLC, RLC Jeddah, KSA *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome