3 year old not eating - Strange attitude regarding smells/touching food

[adamia]

I'm getting a bit frantic at the mo'

My 3 year old daughter has been saying that she keeps smelling 'bad smells' and not wanting me or her 5 year old brother near her. She has also been really funny with anyone touching her food and in general she is very stand offish with all of the family.

She has a cold at the moment and hasn't eaten anything for a couple of days. She has had drinks, but not as much as normal and she threw a right strop this morning because she didn't want her drink near her.

Starting to really worry noe that there is something psychological developing and don't really know the best steps to take.

I took her to the GP unit at the hospital yesterday evening and was told to carry on as normal and not to give into her whims regarding her not touching food etc...

Any advice or similar experiences greatly received.

Thanks Sally

I'd agree with the doctor.

If she has a cold her sense of smell won't be working properly anyway, it is probably just that.

sje may just have thos horrid 'thick snot' cold a lot of people seem to have
everythin smellsfunny to me and fod doesn't taste right but as an adult we understand why and just get on with it

at 3 it may be all too much for her
just enxoutrage her to drink amd allow her to get better

try not to worry
3 year olds are weird
because they are in between babies and children
llife must still be pretty weird for them

Maybe you can just give her simple things to eat; bread, carrots, banana, water, milk.
I'm sure they say not to give in to her whims so as not to develop a 'phobia' but also you don't need to force her, just give her loads of different options.

Colds can affect the senses in funny ways...
Good luck, i hope it passes soon.

This reminds me that around 3 years DS started saying 'what's that smell?' and wrinkling his nose at loads of things. I just thought that he was suddenly 'aware' of olfactory sensations in a way that he had not noticed before. It passed like all these phases.

The words of comfort certainly help. She still won't eat and hasn't had anything to drink since the early hours of the morning.

She's fast asleep at the minute though, so lets hope she wakes up a bit better.

Thanks

agree food/ drink tastes funny during colds.
Try warm squash/water to drink
She could be feeling nauseous.

agree food/ drink tastes funny during colds.
Try warm squash/water to drink
She could be feeling nauseous.

sorry