Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Daughter's Weetabix diet

26 replies

Jourdain11 · 28/06/2021 19:57

So, my eldest daughter (9) has been having food issues for a while now, but it has lately got a lot worse. For the last week or so, she literally won't eat anything apart from Weetabix with milk and (occasionally) a few strawberries. I've tried every technique I can think of, but even trying to get her to eat something else is resulting in a screaming meltdown. Am I a terrible parent if I just let her eat Weetabix until she decides she wants to eat something else?

OP posts:
Isesgirl · 28/06/2021 20:10

What are her reasons for not eating other things? Taste? Texture? Is she hearing about vegetarians and vegans and maybe considering that? Is she concerned about her weight? (she shouldn't be, she's nine!! But my son is 12 and is obsessed with what he eats and what he looks like, no matter what I tell him).

What seemed to trigger it?

My son has a very narrow food group that he will eat at the mo and its driving me insane but he will eat fruit, cereal, malt loaf, bread and eggs so I'm just going with it for now and presenting these things in as many different ways as I can. I've also had input from CAMHS so you might consider taking to someone, depending on your child's reasoning.

I hope things improve and it's just a phase but I feel your pain as it's horrible trying to get the right nutritional balance with a child who is so distressed.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 04/07/2021 17:24

Hey @Isesgirl I'm sorry, I didn't spot your reply! Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and I'm sorry that you're going through this too with your son.

DD is basically "scared" of food and she's also had horrendous bouts of constipation in the last few months so she has a lot of stomach aches and doesn't like the feeling of the food inside her. Of course it's a bit of a vicious cycle because her current diet only makes the digestive problems worse Confused

This week we've been stuck of Weetabix and a few little bits of fruit and cheese, so she is at least eating, although not a great deal of any of it. We ran out of Weetabix the other day and I was trying to persuade her to try another cereal or some crackers... But no, disaster!

OP posts:
DishingOutDone · 04/07/2021 17:46

Have you had any advice? This could be a form of OCD?

ByTheStarryNight · 04/07/2021 17:52

Have a look at ARFID
There wasn't a name for this when I was a child, but I was similar to your daughter. All I can advise is not to put pressure on or turn food into an argument.

Beamur · 04/07/2021 17:55

I'd say it's definitely worth a chat with your GP as she might benefit from some professional help. That's not fussy eating that's food phobia and she needs some sensitive and appropriate advice

DaisyDreaming · 04/07/2021 17:57

I would research afrid and avoid shouting or being very pushy

Janaih · 04/07/2021 18:03

I would make a doctors appointment for her. Have you tried the added protein weetabix? That and a decent multivitamin.

My 4 year old has a very limited diet also. Weetabix is one of her few foods.

Scarby9 · 04/07/2021 18:11

A good friend apparently ate only Ready Brek and Ovaltine at the age of 9. I have no idea why, or how she came through from that, but as an adult she is an adventurous eater who loves food.

shazshaz · 04/07/2021 18:13

How is she when other people are ill? Does that make her scared or make her eating more restricted? I'm thinking she has a "safe" list of food (that won't make her ill) and she could have something like Emetophobia or OCD. Both would manifest feelings of anxiety and panic if she were forced to eat another food eg as yelling/screaming/aggression/crying/shaking/running away.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 04/07/2021 18:14

I think it's definitely OCD related, since she has ongoing issues with that. (We have sought advice but are waiting for appointments to come through...) The other rituals and anxieties tend to come and go but the food anxiety seems to be getting worse and worse. My husband is incredibly chilled about it, and I think I'm doing fairly well and keeping relaxed, but I'm worried that she's not looking well and not getting enough nutrients. Recently ended up hospitalised having seizures when her temperature was up, so I'm generally concerned about her health and wellbeing.

Thanks for the tips about the protein Weetabix - I didn't know about this, so will try to get some!

OP posts:
Original poster
Jourdain11 · 04/07/2021 18:19

@shazshaz

How is she when other people are ill? Does that make her scared or make her eating more restricted? I'm thinking she has a "safe" list of food (that won't make her ill) and she could have something like Emetophobia or OCD. Both would manifest feelings of anxiety and panic if she were forced to eat another food eg as yelling/screaming/aggression/crying/shaking/running away.
She's definitely got a massive fear of people being sick (both others and herself) which I have to say I blame myself for, because I was having chemotherapy last year which made me sick a lot, and I think the whole experience has been quite traumatic for her (the other two were younger and had less of a sense of what was going on). I have thought for a while that her restricted eating is because she's worried about foods making her sick, but the list of foods she will eat has got gradually smaller and smaller and I feel bad that I didn't pick up on it.
OP posts:
Vanishun · 04/07/2021 18:23

Can you get her to try protein milkshakes with full fat milk, and chewable vitamins?

cheesecrackerz · 04/07/2021 18:33

Poor thing, emetophobia can be debilitating and it sounds like that's what is driving this.

She definitely needs to see someone, sounds like some talking therapy could be really good for her as you're right, watching a parent go through chemotherapy can be quite traumatic and could trigger OCD and emetophobia.

Agree with PP that the protein weetabix and a multivitamin are a good idea, and also give her full fat milk and as many strawberries as she desires!

I have emetophobia too, but my eating is only restricted in that I avoid seafood and raw meat/fish!

You sound like a lovely mum! Hope you are all finished with treatment and feeling much better now Flowers well done on staying so relaxed and calm through the issues your daughter is facing, that will help.

TheSpottedZebra · 04/07/2021 19:46

I can't help with the food issues but I'd really not bother with the weetabix protein. The vast majority of the protein in the weetabix with milk comes from the milk. The protein pack is really a marketing thing. Also, I'd not risk messing with her 'safe' food.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 04/07/2021 20:50

Hmm, good point! And I am quite relieved that she'll still eat the Weetabix with milk, since at least it contains some goodness and even the normal one is fortified to some extent, etc.

I tried the gummy vitamins but she won't touch them. DD2 and DS would happily munch through the whole box if allowed, since they reckon they're "healthy sweeties" HmmSmile

OP posts:
Original poster
Jourdain11 · 04/07/2021 20:53

@cheesecrackerz thank you for your kind words btw Smile Yes, I'm through with the treatment (had AML so it was pretty "full on" chemo) and happily in remission, but it was not a nice time for anyone, especially as it happened during Covid when all "normality" had already been stripped from the kids' lives.

OP posts:
CupoTeap · 04/07/2021 21:03

There did used to be a weetabix diet that the NHS used to have d out, not suggesting she needs it, just wondering if something printed out that included weetabix might help her try a couple of other things

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 05/07/2021 12:45

Interesting! I don't suppose you have a link? I did a Google search but couldn't find anything.

OP posts:
Rainallnight · 05/07/2021 12:49

Wow, OP, you’ve had such a tough time. Please don’t say it’s your ‘fault’ for having been sick with chemo, though. It’s just an awful thing you’ve all been through. Not your fault at all Flowers

Dixiechickonhols · 05/07/2021 12:57

Mine’s 15 but weetabix forms a big part of diet. She’s always been fussy. She definitely has sensory issues and arfid issues. She doesn’t like sauces, stuff mixing, certain textures (she gags at sight of chunky burger sauce we eat) She has a small range of safe foods - plain chicken, ham, wraps, cucumber, Weetabix and milk, m & s fish, raw carrot, berries. Protein yoghurt/kvarg has recently been successfully added. I encourage her to try stuff and she shops with me sometimes and I offer to buy stuff to try. M & S foods bizarrely seems to pass and get on acceptable list. It is a worry.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 05/07/2021 14:58

@Rainallnight

Wow, OP, you’ve had such a tough time. Please don’t say it’s your ‘fault’ for having been sick with chemo, though. It’s just an awful thing you’ve all been through. Not your fault at all Flowers
Objectively, I know that's true, but I feel bad to have put my family through it. It was a tough time, but I still feel fortunate to have been diagnosed quickly and to have had good support Smile
OP posts:
Towerheads1234 · 05/07/2021 15:29

I am so sorry.
Please PM me.
My 9 year old daughter is going through the same thing for about 2 years ago.
I did a lot of things wrong at the outset which really made it worse.
It was brought on by a sudden death in the family and a boy throwing up and passing out next to her in the lunchroom. And then COVID.
I could write a book on what I know. If I had a) taken it more seriously at the time, b) gotten her help immediately and c) not done the ‘you have to eat and you will sit at the table until you do or go hungry” approach then we might not be where we are now. But it took a long time before she voiced why she wouldn’t eat - fear of throwing up and of getting sick is the biggest one.

The biggest lesson I learned is to not force her, put pressure on her, or get upset. Which is hard. Weetabix and a bit of fruit and yoghurt is something.
I have the name of an excellent therapist (and I went to a couple) who has really gotten through to her. Please PM me if you want his name.
But she still won’t eat the school lunch (she brings a packed lunch) and eating out at restaurants is very hard. She has a complete meltdown if we go to someone else’s house and is offered food. She does, now, however, eat very very well at home and eats a wide range of things - as long as it is at home. Which is a huge achievement.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 13/07/2021 17:14

@Towerheads1234 I'm so sorry, I totally missed your message! Will PM you.

We've had a bad weekend Sad All DC picked up a little bit of a bug (no, not Covid) at the end of last week and DD1 came off worse - tummy cramps and diarrhoea. Weetabix is now off the safe list and she went nearly 3 days without eating anything (although I get that she was feeling unwell). She is now consenting to nibble Melba Toasts and a bit of yoghurt (plain only) and DD2 has been winding her up, which resulted in DH losing his temper and yelling at them both. Urgh Confused

OP posts:
6demandingchildren · 13/07/2021 18:15

My son would only eat porridge and I panicked when my husband took him to China 2 years ago as I knew he would struggle with the food, but he did really well and he now tries new foods even if he doesn't swallow it, he is 13 and is autistic,

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/07/2021 19:54

That's good to know - perhaps I need to take DD1 to China!
On a serious note, I've booked a doctor's appointment, as she's still having tummy upset and hasn't really eaten at all.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread