EXTREME eaters

[Fishpond]

I have just gotten a new nursery job working with 2-year-olds. Won't start properly until next week but was introduced to the children on Friday when I was offered the position.

There is one little chappy in there, the only boy in a group of 8, who is absolutely teeny weeny for his age. He is 2.5 and eats the following:

White bread with no crust, no toppings, not toasted
Applesauce
Plain Cheerio's
Milk (as a drink, not with Cheerios)

That's it. He takes vitamins (although I don't know what kind) and apparently he has not changed his eating habits since the age of 18 months. If you put anything else on his plate at breakfast or lunch he screams, throws the plate, and sits in the corner sobbing and refuses to eat for the entire day.

Obviously I haven't met his parents yet but should I try to discuss this with them and see if they'd like him to try new things, ,etc or just keep going as he's going? Surely they've spoken to doctors, but as I'll be seeing him 40 hours a week would it be irresponsible of me to try and help him?

Apparently if you put

Errr ignore the last line of that, not sure how that happened

I am pretty certain that his parents will be trying to get him to eat. They are probably going out of the minds with worry about his eating.

So, I don't think it would be the best approach for you to discuss his eating with them until you have got to know a bit more about him and them.

I agree that it is not a great diet but you need to tread carefully. In order to help you need to support them and let them tell you the best way to help their LO.

there is a good thread on here about very fussy eaters, might be worth reading/asking for advice on that as well?

I would hold off for now. Get to know the child and the parents before you start discussing it. Are you going to be his key worker? Chances are they will talk to you about it anyway if you are.

To be honest, if new person at my childs nursery steamed in and tried to 'fix' my child's eating, I would not be happy. And I doubt your new colleagues would appreciate it either. You don't know the background or any work that has already been ongoing with the child. Wait and find that out and see how the land lies before you decide what your approach should be.

Congratulations on your new job though!

yes, please don't steam in

I have a child who self-limits his diet and the number of folk who, goodheartedly, say oh try this, try that, I wouldn't put up with that blah blah used to make me gnash my teeth

It would be irresponsible of you to try to change things without close liason with the parents actually; imagine, if you will, that what he eats NOW is a vast improvement on what went on beforehand, and by trying to cajole/introduce new foods or textures you might inadvertently unpick great strides forward made by the child

Food for thought, yes?

You are very lovely to be concerned, btw, and I commend your enthusiasm

Hmmmm....very fussy eating habits can result from many things from just having a fussy eater for no apparent reason to behavioural and psychological problems which could even stem from an issue at home. If it's the former (just an innocuous fussy eater for no reason) I know how i have reacted when my CM has tried to suggest my 1 yo DS dropping a nap or a bottle before he's ready and i become a bit of a mumzilla.

Incidentally, i watched a programme a while back about extreme eating habits and there was a teenager on there who only ate chocolate. She had a phobia of all other foods. It's not like it sounds - the kid was really sweet and desperate to be 'normal' and her parents were extremely sensible and loving. Anyway, the reason i mentioned it was that despite only eating chocolate her body somehow managed to get what it needed with no lasting effects. Clearly if she went on to adulthood like that then it would have been a problem, but she was otherwise completely normal and healthy.

I would get to know the parents first and find out what their thoughts/ feelings are and whether or not they've tried anything. Once you know them and how they're likely to react you might suggest something they haven't yet thought of.