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Original poster

My three year old won’t eat anything except crackers

43 replies

MeakTiger · 31/03/2019 18:40

I have a DD age 6 and a DS age 3. We are finding the three year old really hard and encountering issues we never had with DD.

He has become fussier and fussier about food and now only eats plain crackers or sweet biscuits (which we don’t give him but both my DM and DMiL do).

He won’t even eat plain pasta now, or even chips, beans or sausages let along anything remotely healthy. Tried putting a big bowl of strawberries and blueberries on the coffee table for him to graze on and he won’t touch them. He now refuses to sit at the table and just screams if we sit him there. Literally just opens his mouth and screams. We did a lovely roast for mother’s day and he wouldn’t come near the table. He looks scrawny and pale. He also refuses to go near the bath or wear anything other than one jumper. He has shown no inclination in potty training and refuses to say please. No matter what we do we feel we are fighting him the whole time.

DD went through fussy phases but nothing like this. We have been to see our health visitor but he was fine at his two year check and they weren’t worried. We have been to the GP but they weren’t really interested.

We just don’t know what to do with him.

OP posts:

Original poster

MeakTiger · 01/04/2019 07:14

Would he drink a smoothie? You can get a lot of nutrition in one if he would.

Really good idea thank you @oreosoreosoreos I genuinely hadn’t thought of that and I think he would.

We were concerned about autism before especially as his speech was delayed (he didn’t babble or even make any sound apart from crying before his second birthday). We were having appointments with various people but then it all stopped when at 30 months he went from not babbling to full sentences in a matter of weeks. My DH and I have said before we feel he has an issue, aside from the food and refusing baths he has general behavioural issues. I will phone the HV again for a chat today and see if we can get an appointment.

OP posts:

FrozenMargarita17 · 01/04/2019 07:50

Hope it goes well op, it would be good to get some answers wouldn't it x

SileneOliveira · 01/04/2019 07:57

Could you ask the HV to come to you? It might be better for them to see how he is at home when you try to get him to the table to eat something.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3 year olds 6 year olds Families Potty training

meepmoop · 01/04/2019 08:02

This was me when I was a child, I would only eat Jacob crackers. Everyone would have a roast and ild have plain crackers.

I don't have any advice but I now eat absolutely everything.

tomhazard · 01/04/2019 08:22

I feel for you op - I have a difficult DS - he is 4 now and so much better than he was a year ago. He has no SN, he's learning well and he sleeps but food and clothing have been very difficult.

He will only wear joggers and hooded tops- he likes to keep the hood over his head and will get upset if he doesn't have it. He suddenly in the last few weeks has stopped wearing it al the time !

With food, he would scream and throw everything on the floor unless it was shreddies or toast with peanut butter or a banana. Everything else got screamed at and thrown on the floor. I would give him what he wanted alongside what we were eating and just ignore. It was hard and inside I was screaming. Now, with this method he eats so much more:
Rice and chickpeas in tomato sauce
Vegetarian sausages with chips
Fish fingers
Plain noodles
Spaghetti bolognese with turkey mince
That filled pasta
Broccoli, carrots, peas, cucumber
Eggs , baked beans
Grated cheddar sandwiches
Yoghurt (yeo valley fromage frais only)

To others this world seem like a crap list but for us it's literally incredible. I find giving him very small portions - like tiny - is best otherwise he definitely won't eat. He gags on red meat and still freaks if anything is unexpected or differently presented.

My only advice is to look outwardly patient and hang on in there - make sure he eats something and try smoothies as others have said, as well those multi vitamins that look like sweets !

tomhazard · 01/04/2019 08:23

Autism has been suggested to me too, but like you he really doesn't tick enough boxes for this. He plays with toys, cuddles, talks well, behaved as expected at nursery.

He is difficult about a couple of issues and I think he could have sensitivities but I don't think he is autistic.

surlycurly · 01/04/2019 08:28

My DD was also the same and by 4 had stopped eating virtually everything. She'd gag and be sick over her food if you mad her try stuff. It was a difficult and emotional time. Interestingly she also didn't sleep and was difficult about what she wore. It took two years to get her to eat anything outwith her range. I cried a lot. So did she. She's now nearly 15 and still is limited about food but I can at least take her to a restaurant and she can order from a menu; a day I thought would never come! It's also worth mentioning that she definitely had traits of being on the spectrum although I suspect she's not. I am however so I would definitely keep it in mind for your son. Especially with the other behaviour like not washing- that can be a real issue for kids on the spectrum.

surlycurly · 01/04/2019 08:29

Oh and my DS has none of those issues and he is HFA.

jamoncrumpets · 01/04/2019 14:43

@tomhazard - my son cuddles, behaves at nursery and sleeps well - he is autistic

tomhazard · 01/04/2019 14:54

Jamoncrumpets I'm just saying that my DS has not been diagnosed with autism as he does not fulfil enough criteria with his behaviours alone. I'm not suggesting anybody else's child isn't autistic based on what they do or don't do.

jamoncrumpets · 01/04/2019 15:23

Has your child been assessed for autism @tomhazard ?

WellTidy · 01/04/2019 15:28

My son has similarities around food. he has been diagnosed with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. It is not an eating disorder, please don't confuse the two (like I did, when it was first mentioned to me), and he is under the care of an occupational therapist who specialises in food issues, and we have a very long term plan to follow at home.

My son also has ASD; in your position I would be asking your GP for a referral to a paediatrician, and for a referral (either from the paediatrician or the GP) to OT.

tomhazard · 01/04/2019 15:30

Yes Jamoncrumpets when he was a toddler he was assessed for autism. He is a bit of a difficult chap around food but isn't autistic. I know many children who do have food issues have them as part of autistic spectrum disorders and I'm not suggesting otherwise.

Rufus27 · 01/04/2019 15:31

You could be describing our son, OP. We have been advised to play it down and allow him what he wants within reason. We also give him a decent multi vitamin every day.

QueenBlueberries · 01/04/2019 15:44

Ok lots of ideas here, some sensible ones and some others not so sure.

I was a childminder for years so I have some experience with fussy children.

How about letting him make piles of sandwiches using crackers - cut some stuff in thin slices (chicken bits, sausages, cucumber) and butter, peanut butter, jam, marmite, whatever, and try to make the most disgusting cracker sandwich ever. You have to eat it! He makes the sandwich for you - that way, he will handle food with his hands, with a plastic knife and it will give him an idea of all the different textures.

Then you can make a 'sandwich' for him. Who knows, he might have a go, lick his fingers and find something he likes. He could slice bananas, strawberries, cheese, etc. Don't do this on the table, do it on a picnic blanket on the floor and involve siblings or friend. Make a mess.

My guess, he will like the sausages....

if that works, you can think of other games to do with him. Keep it fun. You could buy one of those multi packs of cereals and try mixing them together and let him play with them (with various spoons, pots, etc) and maybe he'd put one in his mouth and like it. Anyway, just ideas really. I hope you find a solution... good luck

Vittoria123 · 20/08/2024 13:51

Hi how’s your son now ? Cx

Vittoria123 · 20/08/2024 14:03

MeakTiger · 01/04/2019 07:14

Would he drink a smoothie? You can get a lot of nutrition in one if he would.

Really good idea thank you @oreosoreosoreos I genuinely hadn’t thought of that and I think he would.

Hi how’s your son now ? ☺️

Original poster

MeakTiger · 21/08/2024 03:25

This feels like a very old thread now, I forgot I posted it but do remember being worried.

He is eight now. He is sporty and in a number of extra curricular sporting activities and teams. He’s a great runner and easily does 5km in about 25 minutes. He does well at school, gets great reports and is meeting or exceeding expectations in everything. He’s super social, has more friends and invites to things than the rest of the family put together, just generally popular and full of confidence.

He is still an absolutely rubbish eater. Like terrible! He’s branched out from just crackers but is very limited. He doesn’t like pizza, pasta, salad, cheese, most fruit, most vegetables… The list of things he eats does now include pretty much any meat, potatoes in any form, peppers, broccoli and carrots, rice, any breakfast cereals, grapes, apples, yoghurt… doesn’t like sweet stuff like cake or chocolate but loves a cup of tea with sugar… that’s about it. So limiting but enough not to be a nightmare.

OP posts:

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