What age did you let your kids have gum? (if at all) I grew up in a family with 8 kids & gum was strictly prohibited - my whole life!! So I feel like it's a special treat. DD is addicted, though! Is it bad if they swallow it??
I gave the little ones thier first little piece of juicy fruit this weekend. We were waiting for the parade thier sister was in and I was doing anything possible to keep them happy about being in their stroller. Anyway.... it was swallowed almost immediately. They just don't get the chewing concept. I think my older two were almost five before there was any real chewing going on.
I'm not a big gum fan myself, but DH chews it a lot (fortunately mainly at work). I don't plan on letting my kids anywhere near it until they can avoid swallowing it. I don't know when that is, but I know it's not yet. ETA: I don't think swallowing gum will hurt them once in awhile. But I wouldn't give it to them knowing they were going to swallow it. Any chance you could get her addicted to something else?
We never let my SD have gum, the few times she did have it someone else gave it to her and when she was 4 I had to cut it out of her hair. Now at 10 it's sugarless gum when she does have it, once in a while specifically last week I let her get a blow pop while we were out but she got lucky that day.
One of mine got his hands on a piece about a year ago and just swollowed it right away. But then about 6 mo. ago they were both eating a sucker and it happened to be a little mini blow-pop. (I didn't realize it). About 15 min later they were still chewing on something and I realized it was gum. They just seemed to naturally know that they didn't swollow it because it wasn't breaking down. (At least that's what I think!) That was at about 3 years old. I don't give them gum, but I don't worry if they get ahold of some anymore. I'm not sure how dangerous it is if they swollow. I guess it would depend on how big the piece was.
I like to chew gum but my boys sometimes swallow it so I have started carrying around a pack of Starburst candy and when they ask for gum I give them one of those. They know they only get one a day (if that).
We're not a fan of gums as it can be loud, talking while chewing, and sort of not polite at times. I would not allow my twins near any gums not until they are over 5 yrs old. It would be a mess if they accidently throw the gums out of their mouth or fallen out onto our furniture, toys, clothes, our van/car, car seat, and etc. Who knows they'll be the first for us in our family to love gums someday but for now it is a NO-NO in our house. D, w/Rianna and Justin
One month shy of 6. QUOTE while it is true that gum tends to be poorly digested, it simply means that it passes through the digestive system relative intact. Therefore, the occasional swallowing of gum causes no significant alimentary problems....However, gum poses a different risk in the toddler and young child, namely choking.... children do not learn to perform this grinding motion well until about age four. In addition, children under the age of three tend to not have the coordination to protect their airway while laughing or horsing around when food in their mouths. Robert Steele MD
My girls have still yet to have gum at 5 and I don't plan on letting them have it anytime soon. Dh and I both chew gum everynow and then but I don't see a need for a child chewing gum. They both know they are not aloud to have it and don't even ask anymore for some. Both my niece (4) and my nephew (7) chew gum and both have been since they were 2 or 3 but I just don't think there is a need for a child that young to have gum.
My kids are only a month younger than yours, and I would definitely NOT give them gum yet. I am confident mine would swallow it - no way would they understand the concept of chewing and not swallowing. Lucky for me they have no idea what it is!!! :lol:
It's funny, right after posting that the kids got into a drawer with gum......I didn't notice what they had but heard dd whispering, "Want some, Johnny? Want to taste?" It was kinda funny, actually. Anyway, I thought I got the gum but 1/2 hr later I saw ds still chewing on some!!
Marcus had it for the first time last month--he will be 6 this month. I am not sure if Jon has tried it or not yet.
GUm is a huge treat here cause DD1 has made a mess of it each time she had it, and now DS has had his teeth caped and is unable to chew it at all along with some other candy. And for them swallowing it it wont harm them I cant count how much gum i ate in my life.
I think they should be at least four unless you are giving them tiny pieces. However, having said that, I choked really terribly at the age of 8 on gum. I turned blue and couldn't breathe at all. My dad stuck his finger down my throat and it flew across the room! (luckily that worked as it seems it would've lodged it further!!!) I think I will ALWAYS make sure my children have little pieces or none!!! Lanie
