Supplements or nutrition shakes please help

[Rewritethestars1]

Hi

My child has a very limited diet. She is 8.she lives off carbs and sugar. She eats hardly any protein and hardly any veg or fruit.
As time goes on she looks pale, gaunt and is often ill. She is not underweight. Obviously we have medical advice but waiting lists here are very long for any official support such as dietician/salt. She has had therapy related to eating with little affect.

Apart from a regular multivitamin does anyone have any experience with shakes etc I'm really concerned about her health and growth.

Thanks

If she doesn’t eat any protein you could try her on one of these.
groceries.asda.com/product/protein-drinks/pro-mlk-chocolate-protein-shake/1000301161116

But there is a nutritional shake for children, it comes in 3 flavours.
www.boots.com/paediasure-shake-strawberry-flavour-400g-10168499?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--PLAs_HeroCompare--Baby_Feeding-_-UK_Smart_Shopping_Baby_Feeding&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgMqSBhDCARIsAIIVN1X3zAVLuhZrCu4fJrK-C0-DC3SZFbs3BjVPZyi9xqXJ2S3vcoVp0PsaApkUEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

One of our relatives is like this (he is better now) and lived off white bread and ketchup (solid) once he got into solids (when he was about 6 or 7). Before that it was all liquid.

His mum makes up a thick smoothie shake in the morning - milk with fruit and cereal - and makes him sit and eat it (its gloopy) whilst he watches a cartoon. I think she adds a liquid vitamin drop to it. When he was a toddler it was administered by syringe plunger otherwise he wouldn’t eat at all. And yes, she tried the ‘well of you don’t want it…’ and he held out.

Otherwise it’s mostly white bread and ketchup. The odd plain donut. He then developed a taste for things like chilli and mustard - really strong things (nothing sweet) - so eats only very certain things slavered in mustard or ketchup. And salt - so much salt!!!

Mum is a doctor - and remarkably calm about it. He has autism.

A friend of my sisters (in the 50s now) only ever eats white food.

Smoothies can be sweet (add honey maybe) and get the vitamin drops.

Good luck and I hope you get to see someone soon.

Ask your Gp to prescribe some protein shakes for her.

Thanks both really helpful advice.
Il look at the shakes and maybe some really inventive smoothies that I can pass as sweetie shakes.

@emuloc will they do that if shes not underweight?

I was as skinny as a rake when I was a kid - so I’m not sure a doctor will prescribe unless she is really really skeletal.

I think the good thing about making your own drinks is that it is to your taste and you can experiment with flavours that she might start to like. If you can pass it off as an ‘experiment’ she might get involved (you never know - sometimes kids are more inclined to try something they make themselves). Maybe it’s texture - zizz up what you are eating like baby purée?

Is she just ‘not interested’ in food? Out relative would really pass if he could - no interest at all and doesn’t seem to get hungry.

I got these for Dd who was underweight and struggled with prescription shakes. We used to make the chocolate one into hot chocolate.

www.nourishbyjaneclarke.com/collections/nourish

@KittenKong she is very interested in eating sweet and salty food but not anything else. She complains she is constantly hungry because obviously what she is willing to eat is not filling. To add to the difficulty she has some issues with sensing texture so liquid makes her feel like is is going to choke. She won't often drink anything and wo t eat soft food. Smoothies might work though if they are sweet as it will override that through her cravings.

Thanks @somethinginthewater

What are the foods she will eat, as it may be possible to get high protein varieties. Will she drink shakes etc?

So maybe a shake/smoothie thickened with cereal might work? My relative will eat what looks like really thick bircher.

When I make smoothies I use yoghurt (i like yoghurt) and banana and it’s very thick. I’m trying a pea protein powder in it and that thickens it up too. Add some honey and berries to that and this might be something she likes.

Thanks all for the great ideas and advice

Out of interest - does she try other food if she is over at a friends house or at school?

[quote Rewritethestars1]@emuloc will they do that if shes not underweight?[/quote]
I can not say for sure, but you could just explain to the Gp what is happening with her diet, and that her protein intake is low, because of what she will only eat. The Gp will know what to prescribe, that will be right for her.

@KittenKong no she won't eat anything at school and similar at friends.

We now have a referral accepted for tests on her swallowing which had been rejected previously and an appointment with the gp re shakes. I have started her on pediatric supplements in the meantime.

Is she bothered - my relative just found eating a bit of a nuisance to be honest? I suppose it’s a balancing act of trying to persuade them and not getting into a battle over it. As I said - his mum (and uncles) are all doctors and were more concerned that he wasn’t developing in other areas more than his not wanting to eat.

He has very little interest in food and is considered very odd by his classmates because he refuses cake on birthdays!

He’s a healthy boy - he’s doing well at school and seems content in himself.