To go to the GP over my child's fussy eating?

[guiltynetter]

DD has just turned 7 and although has always been a fussy eater, recently is getting much worse and the list of foods she will eat is getting smaller and smaller. I struggle what to feed her and I'm completely at a loss what to do. She eats no actual meals and would happily live on crumpets and weetabix if she could. Is it pointless making a GP appointment to ask for advice or is there nothing they could do?

The reason I'm more worried is because we've always 'got by' before but recently she has got a lot worse. I don't know how to handle it. The only thing we used to eat as a family was roast chicken on sandwiches with veg and roast potatoes (she just ate the sandwich part) and yesterday she said she doesn't like that either now. I could cry!

Just for reference, she won't eat...

Anything potato based
Nothing with any type of sauce
No vegetables
No meat other than chicken and ham (for sandwiches)
No fish
Just one fruit (strawberries)

Thanks!

Make an appointment. You're struggling and the more you feel that, the more likely this will escalate and get worse.
She might have allergies. She might have anxiety. The GP can refer to a dietician.
Tbh there would be quite a lot of meals you could make with chicken or ham. And if she will eat soup, you could blend in veg so she eats it without realising iyswim. But you sound stuck so an appointment might help to either reassure you or give you advice or give you confidence in what you can try.

I’m not sure if a GP would be able to do much - it’s worth ringing up and asking though, maybe there’s another health practitioner they could refer you to. What does she eat at school? Have they offered any advice?

You might find it useful to look up ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) and see if it rings any bells. It probably will.

Your GP should then be the 'gateway' for a referral for more specialised help/advice, but you may have to be a little insistent.
The usual advice about eating really doesn't work if it is ARFID.

Arfid? Avoidant and restrictive food intake disorder?? It relates to anxiety, and can fluctuate with what is safe. This is a tricky area to manage, but some areas have specialist clinics. But definitely seek help and a sounding board.

I would try and get a dietitian referral from the GP.

If she’s losing weight or exhibiting other abberant behaviours, your GP can refer to a paediatrician or paeds dietician to give you proper advice about managing her behaviour.

@TheGlassBlowersDaughter

Make an appointment. You're struggling and the more you feel that, the more likely this will escalate and get worse. She might have allergies. She might have anxiety. The GP can refer to a dietician. Tbh there would be quite a lot of meals you could make with chicken or ham. And if she will eat soup, you could blend in veg so she eats it without realising iyswim. But you sound stuck so an appointment might help to either reassure you or give you advice or give you confidence in what you can try.

She'll only eat one type of soup which is heinz tomato, it used to be a big fall back for us but now when I make it shes not keen and has a few mouthfuls then that's it. When I say ham, she eats wafer thin ham and that's all.

We've seen a paediatrician not long ago over something different and she offered to refer me to a dietician but I said no because I thought what can they do?! They can't make her try new foods. But maybe I should ask again.

Shes had pack lunches since September as she was regularly going all day without any dinner. She has the same thing every day, ham or cheese wraps, a mini pack of bread sticks, some strawberries, a yoghurt and a kit kat or something. School contacted me last week to let me know she had thrown her sandwich in the bin at dinner time and it made me wonder if she had been doing it regularly as she always seems starving when she gets home. They had a chat with her about your body needing food for energy etc and said they'll keep a closer eye on her for a while.

@Cantchooseaname

Arfid? Avoidant and restrictive food intake disorder?? It relates to anxiety, and can fluctuate with what is safe. This is a tricky area to manage, but some areas have specialist clinics. But definitely seek help and a sounding board.

Thank you, I do think a lot of it is anxiety, I don't really understand it to be honest. Up until last year we had a reward jar and if she tried new foods she would get a star and when it got to 10, she would get a prize. But now if I ask her to try anything new she cries. She says 'I don't know if I should try it or not mummy' and when I say well I think it'll be fine. She cries more.

I will look up ARFID thank you.

I would contact my GP. They can refer you to a dietician although there is a long wait at the moment. My daughter was referred in November 2020 by the GP which has been chased by the GP and a hospital consultant just to keep being told she is on the list. Your GP may have some advice

Omg i literally could write this about son 12. His list has always been smallbut seems more restricted. His fallback food is tomato soup, heinz only (and he CAN tell).
No sauces etc so cant hide veg, wafer thin ham, no marg etc on bread. Chips or part of jacket pot. We did fruit tasting the other day (10 different types) and strawberries were the only thing he ate a piece of (he will eat banana and melon).
I was advised to look up arfid but i dont think he tick the boxes really. Its so frustratibg

My nephew was extreme. He ate the inside of French sticks. And that was it. Literally.
My sister was not believed for a long time. It had a whole mix of causes. He saw his little sister choke when he was about 3. He had some allergies and intolerances. It was complex. He did improve and is a strapping 6 footer now.
I would start actually writing down what she eats in a diary every day.
What does she drink? Can you get some liquid vitamins and minerals in?

Do they take a vitamin and mineral supplement? Deficiencies can make food avoidance worse - I believe low iron in particular can cause fussy eating so it becomes a bit of a cycle.

Yes you may be able to get a specialist referral.

I think the main thing is that if you are worried, ask for help. The worst that'll happen is you'll get no further forward but you may pick up something that helps even if services to solve the problem.

My dd is very picky. Toast, chips, strawberries, raspberries, plain crisps, Apples, sausages, cake, biscuits, grapes.

However, she's healthy and happy so I don't push it. Just occasionally offer her something new but no pressure.

Is it possible your daughter may have special needs?

Sorry posted too soon. Asking because I have a child with sensory processing disorder. Part of this means he struggles with food. Advice is different than just for a fussy eater without any other underlying special needs e.g. autism and/or sensory issues

My 5 year old is the same and I hate dinner times (of course I try not to let him know that)
He will actually eat some fruit and veg pretty well and he likes baby food pouches of fruit or veg too for bad days. Heinz tomato was a favourite of his too but he barely eats it now.

@BastardMonkfish

Do they take a vitamin and mineral supplement? Deficiencies can make food avoidance worse - I believe low iron in particular can cause fussy eating so it becomes a bit of a cycle.

Yes I put Abidec vitamin drops in her cereal every morning. Im not sure if I should be trying to give her anything else.

@GinPink

Sorry posted too soon. Asking because I have a child with sensory processing disorder. Part of this means he struggles with food. Advice is different than just for a fussy eater without any other underlying special needs e.g. autism and/or sensory issues

I've thought about it in the past but I honestly don't think so. She does well at school, no social difficulties, and with her refusal of foods it doesn't seem to be about the texture of things. I do think she is scared of new types of foods but I don't know what of. It's so frustrating!

@safclass

Omg i literally could write this about son 12. His list has always been smallbut seems more restricted. His fallback food is tomato soup, heinz only (and he CAN tell). No sauces etc so cant hide veg, wafer thin ham, no marg etc on bread. Chips or part of jacket pot. We did fruit tasting the other day (10 different types) and strawberries were the only thing he ate a piece of (he will eat banana and melon). I was advised to look up arfid but i dont think he tick the boxes really. Its so frustratibg

Sorry to hear you struggle too, I wish it was easier! Having looked up ARFID I'm not sure she ticks those boxes either! I will weigh her tomorrow though as I've not done it for a while.

Weirdly refusing any type of potato I find the hardest, I find it hard to fill her up as she's not really eating any carbs.

There's a great book called Getting The Little Blighters To Eat that I found helped reduce my anxiety around it all, as much as give me ideas for how to get DD to eat more foods. Extreme Picky Eaters is more involved but good.

Some hospitals, like Addenbrookes, have a specialist clinic for children like this and they deal on a multidisciplinary team basis, helping children and their families to find the best approach. You can be referred on the NHS, you'd be best off finding the nearest clinic and asking your GP for a referral.

I found the dietician really helpful on how to get my DS to eat new foods, she also had lots of suggestions for getting more vitamins and calcium in his diet within the range of foods he does eat. So yes I would definitely seek help.

What does she eat? Your list is just what she won’t eat. My DS has been very fussy over food for years, and I found it best to focus on what he does eat as opposed to what he doesn’t. In other words, focus on food in terms of nutrients, and try not to stress too much about how many different foods.

My DS literally only ate the same breakfast, lunch and chicken dinner for over a year when a toddler. Would vomit if we tried to get him to eat any other kind of food. He has very gradually improved, and now aged 10 still has a lot of normal things he won’t eat (eg rice) but seems to be adding new foods he will eat all the time (very recently pasta). He’s much better, but also won’t eat sauces on anything or even try soup, and without listing everything only eats about four types of meat/fish, five different veg, five types of fruit, plus cheese and yoghurt. Won’t touch milk. We tried all the reward charts etc (didn’t work), but have just found that it seems to be something that he’s gradually growing out of 🤷‍♀️. He’s now 75th centile for height so we’re not too worried now, but he does still have quite a way to go. Most kids are picky about food, but the vast majority seem to get a lot better about it over time.

I found it easier to list what she won't eat than what she will 🙈 to be honest id say she doesn't genuinely enjoy ANY meal or food. Its there to be endured until she can have some fruit or something sweet for pudding.

She will eat

Cheese (normal and spread cheese)
Crackers
Crumpets, potato cakes, milk roll bread, wraps
Weetabix and shreddies
One brand of chicken nugget
Plain pasta
Plain rice
Yoghurts
Strawberries
Water thin ham
Used to eat roast chicken as of yesterday 😳
Tomato soup at a push

I think that's it.