what to feed a child that wont eat

gairlochgal

I was wondering if she's filling up on milk and juice. My girls are 8 and 10 and even at this age I notice that if they glug juice at the beginning of a meal they kill their appetites. What about offering cups of water and cutting back on the juice? Also, if she's still using bottles, could it be that she's finding that a lovely, lazy way to feed and eating is too much like hard work?

anonymousie

gairlochgal wrote: »

I was wondering if she's filling up on milk and juice. My girls are 8 and 10 and even at this age I notice that if they glug juice at the beginning of a meal they kill their appetites. What about offering cups of water and cutting back on the juice? Also, if she's still using bottles, could it be that she's finding that a lovely, lazy way to feed and eating is too much like hard work?

As above, and very much sympathy for your situation, but I agree with the above, serve drinks in cups (spouts if really needed but better to sit at the table and drink from an open cup) are a must. THen you need to offer milk moring and evening and plenty of water during the day, along with regular meals off stuff that is normal food and you think she will eat. Sit with ther and eat the same meal.

Please stop the jiuce- she is drinking lots of tasty juice, which, especially if it is the sugared sort, is filling her tummy and also providing enough calories to allow her to ignore the fact that she might feel hungry.

Yes, you do read of rare cases where children will stop eating and starve, but this is rare as hens teeth- if she is well, then you just need to adjust her behaviours.

Lunar_Eclipse

moanymoany wrote: »

If you have a dolls tea party, you could pretend that one doll doesn't want to eat and ask your daughter why dolly doesn't want to eat her sandwich.

Brilliant idea.

Hugs to OP. Maybe she just isn't hungry, although it's a bit extreme to eat nothing. I am staggered at the appetite variance displayed by my 6 year old hence the comment. And a couple of bottles of milk and juice may well be filling her up until she hits a growth spurt. Try not to worry and hope it passes soon.

lightisfading

l21ynz wrote: »

Sorry to hijack your post, just wanted to let you know you are not alone :grouphug:

... has anybody actually looked at that smilie carefully? i'm prettttty sure it's not the type of 'group hug' you wanted

:rotfl:

Toonie

I'm a nanny and have had to deal with children not eating before and quite often it will be because they have just had a growth spurt and have stopped growing for the moment and have changed the way they see their food. Try not to worry too much, this has happened at some point to every child I have looked after, especially around that age. Sometimes they may just want to assert their independence, any which way they can. You say nothing has changed, but could it be a simple thing...has she started a playgroup? Any siblings (if she has any) begun school? If the not eating has been happening for the last few days, I have noticed the child I look after has drastically cut down the amount of food he is willing to eat because of the change in weather. All he wants is warm drinks.

Be careful of how much sugar is in both the milk and the juice (even natural sugars damage teeth). Perhaps as others have mentioned, she is just not too hungry and getting what she needs from her juice, so perhaps if you cut these down, she will be more prepared to eat. If you can leave some fresh fruit or vegetables around (carrot sticks, cucumber, cherry tomatoes) then she may decide to eat those.

If, however you are concerned too much, your concern will be easily picked up by your daughter which may make her less likely to eat. If you would rather try juice, just to get some calories in, definitely go along the smoothie road, I have in the past added oats to smoothies for kids that I have looked after if they have been off their food and it gives them enough energy to keep going.

moanymoany

I think that the juice/milk idea is a really good one. By giving a cup the drinking will be slowed down. By making the child drink at the table is also a good idea. Milk morning and evening and water in the middle.

Juice - real juice, not squash, is very bad for children's teeth. It is very acidic.

pretz_2

hiya everyone well we are back from our picnic and it was a very tiny success as in she ate a grape and a bite of a sandwhich its a very tiny amount but its a start.

thank you all for your advice

i will defiantely be trying the teddy bear tea tonight as we have friends coming to stay so that should be intesting lol

even though she has ate something i think im still going to take her to the doctors to be referred as it just seems wrong not to get her check out properly just incase unless she starts eating me out of house and home in the next 2 days lol

pigpen

Having not read any of the other replies I apologise if I am repeating what others have said.. first thing though.. children do NOT starve themselves.. if she is growing and full of energy and quite happy there is no problem at all.

At this age it is much more fun to be off playing and having fun and learning than it is eating.

Do her a teeny tiny meal when you do your meals and if she eats some shower her with praise.. if she doesn't just pop little bits off your plate into her mouth.. a few peas, a piece of pasta... and don't use cutlery!!! Cutlery is horrible.. it rubs on sore gums (she should be about teething with those infernally nasty back molars) they clash on teeth and makes shocklike feelings run through your head.. you know the horrible sensations from sensitive teeth?

Another thing that might work.. as she is playing stick the odd raisin or slice of fruit/par boiled veg in her mouth.. they are soft enough to chew without any great effort and full of vital nutrients.

The only place he is likely to refer her is a dietician who will no doubt say stop giving her the milk as it is filling her up.. I'd beg to differ from experience and would be making up smoothies and giving her those instead of plain milk.

It is all about making eating seem appealling rather than an interference keeping her away from her toys etc.

Does she have her meals in a room away from all distractions? a room full of toys and cartoons and a plate of food.. no competition there if you are 2.. toys & tv win every time!

What about out and about in the buggy? Will she eat in there? One of mine was horrific for eating she woukd only eat in th buggy as we walked.. I'd give her a crisp packet containing a few bits of fruit and chopped veg the odd quaver and breadsticks.. she would happily munch away as we walked. She was constantly ill (they thought she had cystic fibrosis for quite some time) and refused to eat because she couldn't breathe and would get distressed etc.

She will get to a certain age and suddenly decide to eat again.. it is a perfectly normal stage of development..

Rikki

This may seem a strange question but has she been constipated lately?

My youngest aged around two had a period of constipation and in his mind associated food with tummy ache, then he refused to eat for days at a time. I can't remember all the ins and outs (pardon the pun) as it was a while ago.

Just wondered.

phizzimum

please be reassured that most children go through this phase to a greater or lesser degree. All of a sudden toddlers realise that they are little people and food is a great way of asserting their independence and seeing how far they can push the boundaries. The more anxious you become the worse the issue will become - I know that sounds cruel but its so true. Although they don't do it deliberately - small children love to mess with our heads!

As everyone else has said, make food and eating a fun experience. Eat together as a family. Choose food together, cook together. Make meal times a loving happy time not a time of stress and conflict (even though I know it's very stressful when a child wont eat)

Be reasonable in how much you expect them to eat - remember how much smaller their stomachs are - but as others have said it's very easy for them to fill up on things between meals - milk, juice, the odd biscuit - which will reduce the appetite. make sure you have snacks on hand that are nutritious and quick - and keep trying different things, what they wont eat on Monday they may well love on Wednesday.

hope you have a better day today.