14mo suddenly on starvation diet

[lukeiamyourmother]

DS has always been on and off with food but the last 3 days have been just tiny nibbles (today = 1/5th of a slice of toast, 3 shreddies, about 6 baked beans and half one of those little sausages) I wouldn't normally give him beans because of high salt but I thought maybe he would eat something really tasty. But no. All over the floor. When he is eating, he will eat absolutely anything but he wont have any of his usual favourites - hummus/yoghurt/sandwiches/pizza fingers/cottage pie etc He's eating normal dinners, we dont even mash things for him now. Ive even tried him with a jar of bought stuff and he wouldn't take that either.

My mum says I should wait it out or give him biscuits. Is this a good idea? Of course he will eat biscuits but I don't want to give him sugary 'treats' too much. Especially in place of a real meal...

What do you think I should do for the best?

I mean, when he is eating normally, he will eat anything. I've not found a single thing he doesn't eat.

Might he be teething? Otherwise i think he'll eat when he's hungry. Toddlers are notorious for being inconsistent with food. My DS has an extremely varied diet and loves trying new foods. He's a great little eater. But some days he'll pick at his food before chucking it on the floor, and other days he'll clean his plate and want more. Try not to worry too much and don't turn meals into battles. Try giving him something fool proof that you know he can't resist. With mine it's lasagne. And if he continues to turn his nose up, chances are he's just not hungry. As adults we have days when we eat next to nothing, so why shouldn't our little ones?

And incidentally there's nowt wrong with baked beans - they're among the top ten super foods for nutrition. I buy reduced salt/ sugar ones.

A reduction in appetite after 12 months is fairly common...I read somewhere if they continued to eat as much as they did in their first year, they'd be the size of a 5 year-old by their second birthday (or something, but I remember finding it really reassuring when DS stopped eating at 13 mos and didn't start again until 18mos!)

Just keep offering the same healthy meals, and grit your teeth when most of it goes in the bin uneaten. Try not to make a fuss, although I know how difficult this is in practice.

I would still offer small, healthy snacks at the ususal time.

And he still deserves the odd treat!

I would also echo the reduction in appetite. It happened with my first dd who had been a good eater to start with. She hit 12 months and stopped eating and because she was my first I was out of my mind with worry. Think she survived on a few raisins and cheerios for much of that year. Her appetite picked up again after 2 or so.

Also remember their tummies are still tiny so it may not look like much food to you but they get full up quickly.

Is he healthy - growing and developing normally? If so I would try not to worry (easier said than done I know!). And offer very small portions of food - a huge plateful can be very off-putting. I wouldn't give him biscuits in place of a meal but at the same time don't get too obsessed over healthy/not healthy. The odd biscuit here and there won't do any harm.

We have the same here on and off - as matana said try giving him something you know he loves, and if he doesn't want it you know he's not hungry. I think often they have little illnesses and sniffles which we hardly notice but which knock their appetite for a few days. I took ds to the gp the other week as he had barely eaten a thing for 6 days - turns out he had a virus but the gp wasn't bothered and said as long as he's still having fluids don't worry. He's fine again now and seems none the worse for it. A lot of the time we as adults eat from habit rather than hunger - toddlers don't do that and it's probably a lot better for them!

Just offer him food but don't make a big deal of it. He may be slightly unwell or unsettled and perhaps return to normal in a few days.
Don't offer him alternatives like biscuits instead or you could start up another problem..
If he is still not eating in a couple of days see the doctor for a check up.