My 3 year old won't eat - Please help!!

[suziet]

Can anyone help?
My 3 year old won't eat! We are now into our 3rd week of not eating. What do I do??
Hi say's he is not hungry, but I can hear his tummy rumbling. Now I am always on at him, which can't be good.
He has always been a bad eater, but he is surpassing himself at the moment.
Any ideas or good books? I am driving myself demented.

[natmeistergeneral]

My dd is a shockingly bad eater so I know how frustrating it is for you. I have no real helpful advice only that my HV said that a toddler will never starve themselves. Maybe a chat to the doctor will put your mind at rest? Does he drink milk?

[Scootergirl]

My DD was shocking until I read advice by someone I don't always sgree with who said just to give them their food, sit and eat with them and make no comment at all if they don't eat.
Take their plate away at the end of an alloted amount of time and then there nothing to eat til the next snack/mealtime.
Does he eat snacks?

[wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe]

When you say he doesn't eat, that simply can't be the case - he must be eating something, albeit minimal.

Keep a diary for a week, take note of everything he eats and how much etc, you may find that he's actually eating more than it seems.

would also echo what scootergirl has said - give him his meal, sit with him and if he doesn't eat it remove it without comment but with nothing else until next mealtime. I would also only give healthy snacks i.e. fruit/cheese but absolutely no sweets/crisps/biscuits as he will fill up on those and then won't eat his meals. he'll soon learn that if he doesn't eat what he's given there won't be an alternative.

It's highly unlikely that he will starve himself. I know of children who have sn that will starve, but as a general rule, most children will not.

[suziet]

Thanks for your comments.
I don't give him any snacks or sweets, and on the odd occassion when he gets something like that he doesn't eat that either! He obviously doesn't take after me
When I say he doesn't eat, he will pick at a few things. Our general day is nothing for breakfast, then throughout the day probably one slice of apple, a quarter of a piece of bread/toast and maybe one mouthful of spag bol or something similar. It never used to be this bad.
I am sure that as I am always offering stuff that makes it worse and we have been to the dr, who took a stool sample.
Going to try the ignoring him as see how we go.
Thanks everyone