MY SON IS AN INCREDIBLY PICKY EATER

[Sophiewilkinson26]

My LO is 4 years old and over the past few months has developed a real issue with foods. He will happily eat lunch food sandwiches and crisps. But come tea time and I offer something, which when he was younger he would happily eat, it now turns into a very difficult situation. I've tried cutting his food into shapes, making faces out of it, just leaving him to eat whilst I eat, positive reinforcement when he does try things, I always offer something I know he will eat along with other things. Sometimes he will also gag at certain things when he is trying them. We now try to actively encourage but if he is not willing to try the meal offered I make him aware he cannot have anything else. I'm stuck I don't know what else to try. He used to be a wonderful eater and I'm not sure what has happened. any advice would be very much appreciate ♥️

Fussy eating can be incredibly frustrating can't it.

If he doesn't eat a meal, is he any better with his next meal?

Does he have snacks or milk between meals?

And has he got any other little quirks?

No not necessarily some days he can just be off food other days he may do slightly better.

Sometimes he may have the odd snack but a typical day when he is at pre school there is no snack between lunch and tea. Yet he will still happily refuse to try anything prepared for him.

With regards to little quirks, there isn't anything with regards to food but in play he likes things to be all in certain groups and transports his toys to various boxes. LO does have very mild cerebral palsy and suffers with atypical febrile convulsions. But these only really impact on his physical development and don't tend to impact too much.

I the reason I asked about quirks is that some toddlers can be fussy, those ones with ASD can also be fussy but the normal rules like "they'll eat when they're hungry" won't apply.

Eating more some days than others is perfectly normal though, much better to look at what they've eaten over a week than a day or an individual meal, it should help to take the pressure off.

And if he's reluctant to try new foods, have you tried serving them along wish something you know he'll eat so at least he's eaten a little?

Ah I see thank you.

Yes whatever I serve him I always ensure there is something he will eat. Yesterday we had a roast dinner and served him the same as us with just a little grated cheese as I know he will eat that. But unfortunately that's all he had.

I'm potentially looking at trying to start him on school dinners for a few weeks to see if eating with other children may encourage him to try new things.

My youngest is autistic and she goes in waves on her tastes. Sometimes for dinner she’ll eat spaghetti Bolognese with broccoli on the side, other times she will eat buttered toast for dinner. I think the key with picky eaters is to keep offering. I use the sectioned plates and I always give the 2 larger sections familiar foods that she will eat and the 1 smaller section a new food or a food she’s unsure of.