wit's end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TrinaJ]

I know a lot of people have trouble feeding toddlers but i am at my wits end with trying to feed my 3 y/o dd.
She has always been fussy, but it has reached a peak the last few weeks. I cannot find any obvious cause so assume she's being fussy or akward!
I have tried positive encouragement, award systems, ignoring it, being firm, making it fun, cooking with her, no snacking, even playing games to try new things, but nothing works. She is not bothered by incentives, she doesn't care if she goes without and she will blankly refuse anything that is fruit, veg, salad or even potato!
As you can see it has become a real issue and my health visitor is useless. As i am a nursery nurse she assumes i know the answers, i might know the thoery but pracice just isn't working.
Sorry for the essay, just hope someone may have some ideas or advice of who i could speak to?
Beginning to wonder about a nutritionalist?

[starlover]

offer her food. if she doesn't eat it get her down from the table. don't make a fuss, don't try and make her eat. give her as little attention as possible but make sure she knows that if she doesn't eat it there will be nothing else.

she WILL eat when she is hungry but you HAVE to stick to it

[TrinaJ]

I know you're right and this is what we mainly do.
The main problem being she can be absolutely starving - complaing her tummy hurts and still not eat if she doesn't like it! I do not and never have offered her anything else.
If she's extremely hungry she will eat 1 mouthful, then refuse the rest!
Should i perhaps offer her pudding (nothing fancy) as long as she's tried it?

[starlover]

is there stuff that she will eat?

if so then i would start by giving that, even if it's for every meal. if she eats it then she gets tons of praise and a sticker on her sticker chart (or whatever you want to use)
that way you get her used to eating her dinner again and she will enjoy the praise and the rewards even if she doesn't show it!

then start putting a small amount of something else with her meal. if she eats one mouthful and the rest of her dinner she gets a sticker and so on...

gradually increase amoutns and varieties of new stuff

[TrinaJ]

Good ideas thanks. She does eat things like chicken nuggets, fish fingers, pizza - all the things i'd rather she didn't. But also the meat from roast dinner. And she loves sandwhiches!
I know my sister used to be obsessed with sausages and would only eat dinner if she had one!
If is definately worth a try, i've done everything else!