Is it normal that my toddler pushes food out of his mouth with his tongue? It depends -- is this a new problem or one he's had a while? Does it happen once in a while or all the time? With toddlers, it's sometimes hard to distinguish between what they don't want to do and what they can't do. If it happens sporadically, it's likely that your child simply doesn't like certain foods and is spitting them out, which is, unfortunately, perfectly normal for a toddler. If it's a new behavior that occurs repeatedly at meals and does not seem to be food-specific, it could mean he's sick and is rejecting food because he can't swallow it. A very sore throat, for example, can lead a toddler to refuse food that hurts going down. Inflammation or infection of the tonsils, an abscess, or laryngitis might do the same thing. If it's a chronic behavior -- something your son does all the time -- I'd take a closer look. Consistent refusal of a particular consistency of food -- for example, if your son eats pretty well but refuses foods that need a lot of chewing, such as hot dogs and hamburgers -- might signal an oral motor skill problem or a sensory processing disorder. Tongue thrusting can also be associated with cerebral palsy. Although doctors are most likely to diagnose cerebral palsy when a child is an infant because it is associated with other motor abnormalities, mild cases can appear during