Hi all. First of all I apologise for posting here, its for traffic.
I need the mumsnet collective to help me figure something out please. I'll try to be as clear as possible.
I have a DD9 -early onset puberty (this is relevant)
My question is how can I make sure she is getting the correct intake of vitamins and minerals for her age and also taking puberty into consideration (we will be expecting periods to start soon.)
DD is Lactose Intolerant, we are mostly managing this- she does not like soya or nut milks so we use arla lacto free products-milk cheese butter etc on dieticians advice to make sure she is getting enough calcium.
DD is also a vegetarian (for 7-8 months now)
Being 9 she is also a fussy eater
She has never eaten eggs, not really a fan of cheese but will eat small amounts.
She will not eat nuts, beans-baked beans are an exception. She won't touch lentils (I sneak them into curries anyway) and she will not touch salad type stuff.
I'm struggling to get her to try more things that are good for her like sweet potato or brown rice/pasta.
At the moment she is surviving on pasta, potato or rice based meals. I'm a dab hand at hidden veg sauces but I doubt she's getting enough goodness from those kinds of meals.
She loves most fruit and she eats aubergine,tomatos, carrots, onions, roasted peppers, butternut squash and loves spinach but that's it that's everything she eats + a carb.
She eats marmite, won't touch peanut butter or nutella type stuff so lunch is usually hard work.
At best with the dairy restrictions and egg avoidance I feel she is almost going into vegan territory!
GP referred us to paediatrician about lactose intolerance. Paediatrician then referred her to dietician.
We see the dietician every few months but they just ask the same questions about the lactose intolerance and they are mainly focussed on her weight. I've tried to raise my concerns but they say she seems fine and let's get her more active (I would love her to be even more active...but she is exhausted!)
I'll admit she is overweight, but my main concern is her health.
DD is almost as tall as DS11 so I have been giving her almost the same portion sizes as him. I encourage them to eat till their full not and not to force feed themselves.DS is very (hyper) active so he manages to maintain a healthy weight and is always at maximum energy levels, I can't really compare the two as they have completely different diets and lifestyles. Out of the two DS has access to unhealthy choices and I know he over indulges himself but his physical health is fine.
DD seems to struggle with her energy levels, she is quite active during the school day walks to and from school, plays sports during break and runs around a bit with her brothers at home. But she gets tired and breathless very quickly. I also worry because I give a healthy snack after school and when we get home she is still hungry. Usually after school she tries to fall asleep. Obviously I wake her but she's incredibly moody and wants something to eat again! I try to have dinner earlier but then she will be hungry again before bed we've tried filling up on water between meals and snacks but none of this is breaking her cycle of low energy & excessive hunger. I dont know what to do I know something isnt right but I don't know how to help her.
I'm not sure how to effectively 'replace' any vitamins/minerals/nutrients shes lost by giving up meat. Plus I want to give her an energy boost and keep her well during this difficult time with puberty.
What I need to know is has anyone had a similar experience and can advise me of what supplements I could give her?
Apologies for the long post and Thanks in advance for any suggestions.