Dd does not eat well- I'm worried

CherryBerry

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 8:24 pm

My dd is 7. She has become a very picky eater. Ironically as a baby and toddler she was a good eater. Around age 3 she began to not like foods. And she keeps adding new disliked foods every time I turn around.
I never made a big deal. Let her go hungry. Made her something different. I tried every trick in the book.
I have come to believe that its some sort of sensory thing. Or OCD. or some version of "easily disgusted by things" personality.
By now she wont eat almost anything and im starting to get worried that her health will suffer. I already started giving her vitamins. I started offering protein shakes which she thankfully likes... so far (shes starting grumbling about the consistency so im worried that will be out soon too. )
She wont eat meat chicken fish soy eggs beans lentils peanut butter. There is no protein that she will eat. Rarely, I can get her to eat cottage cheese.
Other things too but im most worried about the lack of protein and main dish types of foods.
She cant eat only pasta pizza and french fries forever.
Any advice?

mummiedearest

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 8:39 pm

she sounds like me at that age. a lot of my dislikes was fear of the unknown. a lot of it was textural. I was fine with a chicken flavor, but I didn't like the feel of it. and crunchy peanut butter made me gag. I didn't like the smell of pb either, so there went smooth... I didn't eat veggies at all. I ate bananas and an occasional apple if it was peeled. I ate macaroni and cheese, cream cheese sandwiches, cereal and milk, pancakes. my mother used to make cottage cheese pancakes which I loved, and I ate those with applesauce. she made us regular pancakes from a mix but blended in tofu, which made it a bit spongier, but didn't change the taste. oh, I also liked freeze-dried apples. you can get freeze-dried fruit snacks in more flavors now. oh, I also ate eggs. will she eat yogurt?

have you ever had her cook dinner with you? maybe she'll be more interested in eating if she sees how things are made. it's worth a shot. or you can institute a rule: chew and swallow one or two bits of everything served. no obligation to eat more. if she starts seriously gagging on anything, I'd definitely worry about a sensory issue. if you give kids enough incentive to chew and swallow, they generally won't try throwing up.

B"H YOM YOM

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 10:34 pm

What does your ped say? Based on how she is eliminating and becoming more intolerant and adverse to foods/textures, sounds like a nutritionist and some OT and/or feeding therapy might possibly be warranted. Saying that, it might also be something she will simply outgrow but because of the pattern, it is worth looking into. Good luck.

SingALong

Fri, Nov 09 2012, 12:37 pm

My dd is also super picky, won't touch lunch at school, comes home famished, still refuses certain foods, and maybe takes 2-3 bites of something she likes and then goes off to play. I find it helpful to serve supper later, like at 5, as opposed to right when they come home from school.

My older dd also got picky, and I found it helpful to make a food chart with her, a list of salads, soups, mains and sides shell eat. Then she can't suddenly dislike something that I make if it's on the chart, she must eat it. I have it hanging in the kitchen. Every night I try to make her at least 2 things from the chart.

My nephew went through a stage where he'd only eat grilled cheese sandwiches for about a year. The dr told my sister no kid ever became malnourished from only eating grilled cheese hell grow out of it eventually, and he did!

suzyq

Fri, Nov 09 2012, 1:02 pm

I have a 25 year old brother who still will only eat a handful of foods, none of them green, fresh or healthy. He's fine, plays sports, works out and is slim and muscular. At 7, I wouldn't push it too much.

33055

Fri, Nov 09 2012, 1:24 pm

My daughter and sister are super picky eaters. My mom reminds me I was as well - too bad I got over it.

I run out of healthy foods to feed my daughter because when she does eat one I am excited so I serve it each day. Right now she is eating peanut butter lollies so I am trying not to burn her out on them.

de_goldy

Fri, Nov 09 2012, 2:50 pm

Squishy wrote:

peanut butter lollies are healthy??

amother

Sat, Nov 10 2012, 1:13 pm

I had a kid who literally lived on peanut butter sandwiches (and chocolate bars he nipped from the nash stash) for about 2 years. he barely grew that entire time. but now he's a teen and he's perfectly normal. still a picky eater, but now he favors chicken and fresh vegetable salad instead.

amother

Sat, Nov 10 2012, 1:26 pm

my ds is 19 months and sounds exactly the same. hes been doing this for months already so I called a feeding therapist who evaluated him and said he has a sensory type of thing. she told me to desensitize him with a toothbrush...ive definitely seen some improvement. very slow but at least its something Smile

it cant hurt to speak to a professional abt it.

amother

Sat, Nov 10 2012, 11:03 pm

My 16 month-old dd is a super picky eater. She has terrible, terrible acid reflux, though. Meals at my house are a real chore. My dd hardly eats, and when she does, it's the pureed baby food from jars. She'll occasionally eat dry cereal or chopped grapes. I've kept her on formula for the nutritional content, but I'm quite worried about what I'm going to do when she's just plain too old for it. Unfortunately, she doesn't even tolerate the medications her doctor has prescribed for the reflux; they just make her vomit even more. At least she's not underweight.

(amother because friends IRL know I have an older baby on formula, and I don't want them to know my screen name.)

CherryBerry

Mon, Nov 12 2012, 11:30 am

Quote:

my mother used to make cottage cheese pancakes which I loved, and I ate those with applesauce. she made us regular pancakes from a mix but blended in tofu, which made it a bit spongier, but didn't change the taste.

I like this idea, and I even bought tofu to add in. She loves pancakes so this is promising.

Quote:

you can institute a rule: chew and swallow one or two bits of everything served. no obligation to eat more. if she starts seriously gagging on anything, I'd definitely worry about a sensory issue. if you give kids enough incentive to chew and swallow, they generally won't try throwing up

I do make her taste one bite of everything new, but she really doesnt like it.

Quote:

My nephew went through a stage where he'd only eat grilled cheese sandwiches for about a year. The dr told my sister no kid ever became malnourished from only eating grilled cheese hell grow out of it eventually, and he did!

thank you for this! it makes me feel better!

she does like cheese and yogurt, so I think I will simply get her to eat more of the foods she does like rather than figure out how to get her to eat the foods she doesnt like.