Why is my 7 year old craving salt??

lucky14

Thu, Jan 30 2020, 6:38 pm

She puts a lot of salt on her food or she eats it by the spoonful?
I'm not a Dr. And it may be a medical thing in her case (maybe you want to talk to your ped about it again?) But I like lots and lots of salt. I like smoosh my challah in salt. One of my favorite parts of the Seder is the potato dipped in salt water. I add extra salt to most of my food. I just really like salt. So it could be something. Or it could be nothing.

pause

Thu, Jan 30 2020, 7:58 pm

amother [ Pumpkin ] wrote:

Whether you think this is true or not, screw whoever hugged this. The "subtle" insult pairs very nicely with the suicidal thoughts I've been having today

I'm sorry you're having a hard day. Here's a real hug Hug

Can you try to do something nice for yourself? You deserve it.

amother

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 10:57 am

lucky14 wrote:

She always tries to eat plain salt. When she has pretzels, she just licks the salt off the pretzels.

amother

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 10:58 am

watergirl wrote:

Also, salt is delicious! If the dr. is not concerned, why look further?

Because I'm her mother and doctors are not always right.
I hope it's nothing, but I don't want to overlook something that needs to be addressed.

Chana Miriam S

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 11:22 am

Because we crave salt until our bodies have enough. That’s why sometimes salt tastes great and others it can be overwhelming. Good resource ‘the salt fix’ by dr. James dinicolantonio.

Mammals need salt. Craving it means you need it. It won’t harm herto give it to her. She will naturally stop when she’s had enough.

Know what happens to healthy people when they eat too much salt? They get the runs. Our bodies know.

Your doctor is not concerned because he understands that salt is not a bad thing, it’s a necessary thing.

Tzutzie

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 11:37 am

My husband was like that as a kid. I was like that as a kid. Constantly getting on the table as a toddler and licking and clogging the salt shakers.... lol
My husband STILL is like this. I dont salt his food, he doesn't need the salt mixed in the food he needs it on top of the food so he feels the salt taste. As an adult he knows not to overdo it.
I have outgrown it when I was a teen.

My 4 and 6 yo both do it too. They get 2 full dips of salt every shabbos meal. The best part for them! If I would allow they'd eat it by the spoonful.... once kid inhaled it once by mistake and choked on it. Shes learned not to do this now.....

Unless he eats it by the spoonful, I'd look the other way. Maybe tell him you will undersalt his food and let him salt it himself.

lucky14

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 11:50 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

She always tries to eat plain salt. When she has pretzels, she just licks the salt off the pretzels.

Me too 😁 but I wouldn't take a spoon and fill it up and swallow it like that much at once.
It sounds like this is something that's really troublesome to you. I think it's worth calling up the Dr. and talking about it some more for reassurance.

amother

Gold

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 12:01 pm

When I was younger I used to lick plain salt and eat the salt at the bottom of the pretzel bag. I added lots of salt to everything. I’ve fainted a few times because my blood pressure was so low. I had to take sodium pills and the doctors told me to eat lots of salty foods. While my blood pressure is still fairly low, it’s not as low as it used to be and I don’t crave salt the same way.

amother

Black

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 12:10 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Because I'm her mother and doctors are not always right.
I hope it's nothing, but I don't want to overlook something that needs to be addressed.

Your doctor isn't concerned because if there was an underlying problem, your child would have additional symptoms/issues.

amother

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 12:39 pm

So half the people are telling me don't worry it doesn't mean anything, and the other half are saying it could be a mineral deficiency What

amother

Fri, Jan 31 2020, 12:49 pm

andrea levy wrote:

Not quite. The doctor told her not to eat salt, that too much isn't good.

Chana Miriam S

Sat, Feb 01 2020, 8:09 pm

Rappel wrote:

So let her have salt. After she WAYYYYYY over-salts s few times, she'll start to self regulate, and eventually find a middle path.

Haha sooo true

Chana Miriam S

Sat, Feb 01 2020, 8:19 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

So half the people are telling me don't worry it doesn't mean anything, and the other half are saying it could be a mineral deficiency What

No, I am saying it is normal to crave salt when you don’t have enough and if you eat too much, a) your body will direct it outward through diarrhea and b) if your body has enough salt, your taste for it pretty much turns off and you don’t want it any more. In the absence of other symptoms I’d personally would not be at all concerned. You do what you think is right.