10 year old who dislikes eating!

[crkm]

My 10 year old son (4ft 5, and 23.5 kg) - does not like food. he says eating is boring. it takes forever to get a dinner in him. he does eat 3 meals a day (eventually!) and has a varied diet - fruit and veg included. He says no to crisps and biscuits ( a good thing i know - but he is 10!!) He is skin and bones - if he gets ill it wipes him out for a few days - the last time when he lifted his shirt i could see his heart beating beneath his skin. he weighs so llittle - it is a real worry! can 10 year old boys have eating disorders??

a very worried mum!

Has he always been like this? Have you taken him to your GP? That would be the first stop for me. He doesn't sound that healthy to me!

took him when he was 4 - they did lots of blood tests but they all came back clear. took him back and the doctor said to feed him up with 'tetra pack' foods - custard and rice pudding etc. have done food diaries in the past. I think going back is the next step - but hate to put him through tests again :(

GP appointment would be my first stop.

will ring for an appointment tomorrow. tbh just been putting it off!

Zinc deficiency can cause poor sense of taste & poor apetite, also I would increase protein content of his meals and decrease wheat-based and carb products.
Zn deficiency is hardly ever tested but often deficient and zinc from animal protein is better absorbed than from veg/grains.