6-year-old with lost appetite - worry or not worry?

[imaginaryfriend]

My dd's never been the biggest eater in the world but for about a month now dp and I have noticed she's really very reluctant to eat anything much. Cheese and pickle sandwiches and pasta with tomato / basil sauce and veg are about the only things she shows any enthusiasm for - even then she eats maybe a third of the quantity of them she used to. She's drinking little milk in the morning (she used to wolf down half a pint pretty much before school), is refusing even favourite things like chocolate doughnuts or ice cream and to be honest I can't tell you the last time she said she was hungry.

Other than that she does seem to be tired quite a lot, or she says she's tired, to me she seems to be bounding about for most of the day. She says she gets a 'burny feeling' in her chest quite often which I guess is indigestion or acid reflux. And she seems quite thirsty a lot of the time but only for bloody mango juice, she's given up on almost all her other juices and doesn't want water.

Has she just become suddenly hyper fussy? Or should I take her to the GP?

[Beeper]

I would look for more of an emotional thing if she is not ill in other ways. Are things ok at school? How are her toilet habits are they different on inconsistant? Tomato sauce is very acidic and gives me reflux if I have to much. She is not worried about gaining wieght is she. I have heard about some kids doing healthy eating at school and being told that some foods will make you fat, and as she is turning down the more unhealthy foods it could be the case?

[imaginaryfriend]

She's not at school yet, she goes back on Thursday, but she doesn't seem hugely stressed or anxious about anything right now. Not enough to say no to a chocolate doughnut in any case! She's actually quite slim and she knows it so I'm sure she's not 'dieting'. She's not the kind of child to really think of anything like that, plus she's turning down healthy and unhealthy foods. I gave the unhealthy as an example of her 'treats' which she'd never normally refuse.

[Beeper]

My son got had a period of illness where he lost his appitie and we gave him a tonic called 'minidex' you can buy it from boots and it restores the apitite as well as giving other minerals and vits, he always ate about an hour after he had it. Might be worth a shot, but if she is eating some protien and some veg and carbs I would not worry to much, I doubt a GP would know what it was either.

[imaginaryfriend]

It just seems out of character for her. Thanks anyway.

[EachPeachPearMum]

Is she worried about returning to school? When did this start? The 'burny' feeling might be similar to 'butterflies'...

[imaginaryfriend]

She usually gets the burny feeling when she's got a tummy bug. I don't think it's butterflies. It comes on quite suddenly sometimes when we're out or at home, any time really and she's had it on and off for about a month.

[EachPeachPearMum]

How is she today IF?

[imaginaryfriend]

Very bad diarrhea today. She gets that sporadically too or weird 'green' looking poos like she had when she was a baby.

[imaginaryfriend]

She also had this intense thirst when we were out today. She drank so much water it was hard to believe but then was craving juice in a really odd way, like an addict! I bought her 2 small cartons and she drained them in a matter of minutes.

[desperatehousewifetoo]

I'd take her to the gp to rule out any underlying illness.

If she is suffering reflux, there are treatments she can be given. Reflux could be affecting her appetite beause it is so uncomfortable/painful.

Diarrhoea and thirst may be unrelated or the thirst may be because she is dehydrated from going to the loo so often. Or, indeed something else entirely!

I hope she picks up soon

[imaginaryfriend]

It's all kind of vague though. she doesn't have reflux regularly, just in bursts, same as diarrhea. But loss of appetite has been constant really, she's just not interested in eating. Plus need to drink is also fairly constant.

[taxiservice]

I really think you need to take her to the GP and possibly a referral to a specialist. The green poo thing worries me as one doctor told me it was a 'starvation poo' when my baby was small and not getting enough nutrients due to breastfeeding problems.

I would be very concerned I'm afraid. It will help the GP if you write a list of all she's eaten and drunk over the past few days.

[EachPeachPearMum]

Oh poor girl, she really sounds under the weather. I would say GP definitely, and hope she gets well soon.

[desperatehousewifetoo]

Imaginaryfriend - did you manage to get a doc appointment for your dd? How is she?