Should I be concerned? Or is this normal? Toddler appetite

[MummaHud]

My little boy is 18 months old, he’s had a cough since last Friday (5 days) but it got worse on Sunday, he’s been to the hospital and he has upper respiratory infection and croup.

He was given steroids.

Since he’s had the cough, he’s been off his foods ( he’s not a huge foody anyway )- he’s been turning his head away from dinners, but will happily eat things like crisps, biscuits

And we’ve been given him more whole milk which he is really drinking.

He’s seemed so much better today, more green snot and coughing less but he still didn’t eat his dinner ( Mac and cheese, his favourite!) but now he’s munching a bag of Pom bears.

Has anyone else’s little one lost their appetite for a while during a sick period? 5 days seems extreme to me? ( although he is grazing and drinking milk )

My eldest has never had this so I don’t know if this is normal? ( I never go off food, even when sick lol )

im so worried, I don’t know if im being unreasonable to myself!

Normal for mine. Is he still reasonably perky and "normal"? If yes, just make sure he gets enough fluids and feed him what he wants. Try to get some healthier stuff like fruit in if you can, but if not don't worry, he'll start eating meals again when he's better.

If he's eating crisps and drinking lots of milk he's not really off food so I wouldn't be too worried. You probably just need to keep offering the 'proper' food if you want him to eat that over the crisps or perhaps fruit as a compromise?

Thank you, should I be concerned that it’s been 5 days? I mean he’s ate a few spoonfuls of each meal, like spagbol, etc etc and eaten little nibbles of pizza. I’m trying to make things he usually LOVES!

he’s eaten every day, but just little bits of each thing we’ve offered him before he starts spitting it out.. but has been taking 4 full bottles of milk!

Thanks, I’ve spent 1 hour offering Mac and cheese spacing out spoonfuls tonight. He did 4 mouthfuls before deciding ‘No’ 😢 I’d rather him eat something than nothing though…

Oh I wouldn't bother trying to keep on getting him to eat for an hour!!! If he doesn't want it he doesn't want it. From your description he's eating fine for someone who's a bit under the weather.

When I feel sick pretty much all I can face eating are crisps. I've been the same since I was a toddler myself

They are a strong enough flavour that I can actually taste them despite reduced tasting ability, high fat so I get calories in quickly, salts to replace what I'm losing, and easy to graze on so I don't have a full stomach making me feel sick.

Focus more on making sure he stays hydrated and feed him anything he'll accept. He can go back to healthy eating once he's feeling better. I usually take about 7-10 days to go back to wanting normal food.

Yeah - I totally understand. As long as he’s eating something I wouldn’t be super worried if it’s not great nutrition for a few days (if he’s ok in himself).

my toddler was ill recently and he ate very little for a week (but drank loads of milk) but I wasn’t worried. Mine is quite chubby so I want worried about him losing weight.

Normal here too, although I sympathise as it’s stressful.

DS always used to seem to quite like the Ella’s kitchen pouches when unwell which is weird as he wasn’t weaned on them but I randomly discovered he liked the apple and pear purees.

DD however only wants milk!

His food diary, he’s refused most of the healthy options and I’ve tried to stick with pastas as he usually loves it

It was normal for my ds. When poorly, he'd go off his food and revert to milk. As long as your little one is drinking plenty of fluids and weeing, and he seems brighter and happier in himself, I wouldn't worry.

Keep an eye on his temperature. Call 111 if you notice any significant change.

He’s defo seeming brighter and coughing less today.. that’s why I thought, let me whip up his favourite mac and cheese as he usually doesn’t let it touch the sides.

I was disheartened when he didn’t eat it, as I really thought he would I am worrying more as that’s his favourite!

My daughter didn’t eat anything at all for a week when she had HF&M. She finally ate a mini roll on day 8 and I was very relieved. She was around the same age around 20 months.

Mini roll! - I’m going to buy them😆 honestly I’ll try anything - my 5 fruit and veg aim has gone out the window… I just want him to eat properly again 😭

If he’s happy with the milk you could try making a smoothie, or a bit of porridge/ rice pudding. He might be on board if it’s just more substantial milk.

It’s completely natural to lose your appetite when unwell, no matter what your age. It’s protective for several reasons:

Immune response naturally decreases appetite. It conserves energy for healing – digestion takes energy. Fever and infection slows digestion and gastric processing. Protects against vomiting/diarrhoea and losing fluids.

With all kindness as I can sympathise with being anxious when your kids are little – you’re worrying far too much and forcing foods he doesn’t want or need. Let him recover.

I love that you have a 5 fruit and veg aim, I'm lucky if my middle child eats 5 a week 🫠🤣

My older two are both poorly and have been the same as you boy having mouthfuls of their actual meals but happy to eat snacks, I'd try not to worry and just let him roll with it*

*I did blend apples and carrots into a chocolate coated pancake last night which was eaten.

I’m trying to offering anything and everything, I’ve spent a fortune on fruit, veg, snacks etc.

apart from 5 minutes ago, he just put a Crayola, blue, silly scents felt tip in his mouth that his sister left the lid of and now he has a blue tongue.. now do I call toxic line? Although Crayola say their stuff is non-toxic.

never ending worry!!! - who’d choose a pen over a home made mac and cheese!

I'd not worry about a felt tip tongue he'll be fine. My middle child ate a bath bomb, a crayon and half a Christmas bauble between 1-2years old
...he's 4 now 🤣

It's very normal. Plus if he's having four bottles of milk, a few bites of dinner and snacks, he's really not that off his food!

I'd stick to healthy stuff and start reducing the snacks now. You're going to potentially find yourself in a circle of him feeling better but not eating because he's full of milk and knows that refusing dinner gets him a bag of Pom Bears.

In terms of 'I'd rather he ate something' this is true for some things (yogurt, fruit, pouches, milkshake/smoothie, homemade cake etc), but Pom Bears have absolutely no nutritional value. He'd only be better off eating those if the other option was starvation. Milk and a few bites of food will be preferable.

He’s woken up and still not eaten breakfast, I’ve offered yoghurt, toast and fruit.. 😭

Okay, so just listen to him then. He doesn't want food so try again later. It's normal. So long as he is not showing signs of being properly unwell (temp, less responsive etc).

Thanks, he was born prematurely and needed a feeding tube, he didn’t drink a bottle of milk or eat food until nearly 11 months old. For the past 7.5 months, he’s done really well with certain foods and has loved drinking milk from a bottle.

I guess I’m worried he won’t ever eat again and we are reverting back, but he’s coughing and he’s felt quite well during the last 6 days so I have to give it time, 6 days feels awfully long though.

He’s just eaten fish fingers and chips !!!!!!!!

But won’t eat anything off a spoon..