Toddler still won't eat.

[Lottiebugz22]

I'm getting worried now as my dd 15 months old has never been a good eater. She has always been picky and ate very small amounts. I've been told to keep trying over and over but nothing is improving her eating. I make her food and put it on her tray for her to eat herself. I give her a spoon to try herself. I try and make eating fun with her. I've never made an issue out of it in front of her as advised to stay calm etc. But now I am starting to wonder if she has sensory issues or something. Can anyone help?

[Seeline]

My DD was like this. Was a bottle refuser from the start and hated weaning. She ate very little up until about 2 when she began to eat more normal amounts, but a very limited range. That didn't start to expand until she was 8 or 9. She is 15 now and will eat a reasonable range of things, but is at least willing to try new stuff now.

One thing we did realise was that she really did have a very small capacity for food. She was much better off eating 5 or 6 times a day rather than trying to get everything at meal times.

[Uppingham]

Similar issues here. We made food more grown up (stronger flavours) and showed DC2 that we grown ups were having same meal. We started eating together more. This helped. DC2 still eats very little and is extremely slim but healthy. Just doesn’t like bland food. Total opposite to DC1 so feel we are constantly cooking different meals!

[Neighneigh]

It's so hard when they don't eat much, my first was like this. I really worried but now he's nearly 10 and I know he simply didn't have a big appetite. He does when he's in a growth spurt but he's like a bird most of the time. The important thing is to try a range of foods and let them eat what they want, be strong on eating at the table all together (ie don't let them slope off and give them the food in front of the TV, I've never done that, nope ahem). I do feel for you as it is hard but if they're gaining weight and growing well, it's ok to not have a big appetite.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

My DC2 is just like this. It could be sensory issues I suppose, you could do this test next month to see if she’s likely to have ASD.

Could you give us an idea of what she does eat or drink in a day and how much milk she’s having?

[Lottiebugz22]

Thank you for the replies.
Today she's had 8oz of milk and 3oz of milk in the afternoon and a packet of veggie stick crisp things. That's it.
She will sometimes eat toast and yoghurt or banana. Nothing else at the moment.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Ok so I can see why you are a bit worried. Does she have any more milk in the evening or overnight?

[Lottiebugz22]

No she usually just has 8oz on a morning.

Today she had 7oz in the morning with a slice of toast, thankfully she had near enough the whole piece.

At dinner time she had some cubes of cheese about 3 reasonably sized cubes with 2 fromais frais pots. I offered her some pasta and carrot pieces but she wouldn't eat those just the cheese.
In between lunch and dinner she had 5oz of milk.

At dinner I offered her spaghetti bolognaise but she didn't want that so she had some more toast and 3oz milk.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

10floz of Milk a day is about right at this age. I can see why you are worried though. What are her centiles like?

[Lottiebugz22]

They've always been good luckily. I've been told she's a picky eater by health visitors but not allot of how to try and resolve it. I keep offering small portions of finger food as advised but she never tries anything different it just gets left to one side.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I think nuthatch as long as she’s not getting more than 10floz of full fat cow’s milk a day, as more can suppress appetite, and her centiles are good, there’s not much more you can do.

There’s some information on helping fussy eaters in this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust and this book was out of print when my DD was that age but it was recommended to me lots of times, might be worth having a look?

[Lottiebugz22]

Thank you I will xx