Monster appetite

[WhatWillSantaBring]

I don't think I'm an overly stressy mum, but I have a nagging instinct that there is something not quite right with my 15 month old DD. Apart from when she's ill (she's had half a dozen sick bugs since she started nursery in November) she has an almost insatiable appetite. She'll eat a huge breakfast with us (a big bowl of ready brek then a piece of toast) and still eat a full breakfast at nursery, a big lunch and tea at nursery (they usually have to give her seconds), and then more often than not another tea/supper when she gets home.

She's about 9th centile in weight - still has really skinny little arms and legs, but a massive bloated belly. She almost looks like a famine victim.

Oh yes, she was getting fairly regular diarrhea (sp?) but someone suggested switching from weetabix to ready brek. FWIW I am NOT a believer in food intolerances generally, as I usually see "intolerances" as fussy eating, but that does seem to have stopped the runny poos.

Any ideas? Am I worrying unecessarily? If I go to the health visitor or doctor, will I get fobbed off?

Thank you in advance...

x

No, you shouldn't get fobbed off at all - I would get her checked out

agree with elibean. My DD has a severe allergy to dairy but due to other problems caused by an unrelated chronic health condition she sees a paediatric gastro consultant.

He made the comment that bloating can be a 'soft marker' for food intolerances so if your DD is looking very bloated and has runny poos there is a strong chance that there is something not right.

Go with your gut instinct and get her checked out but try and be more open minded about food intolerances if you can. Yes there are children who are fussy (and my DD is actually one of them!) but when they are displaying symptons like you've described I would say there is more than a delicate set of taste buds involved.

Good luck with the gp

My dd is around the same age and would probably eat all that BUT she is on the 99th centile for weight and height. It could be that your daughter just had a high metabolism but given the other factors you've talked about (runny nappies, bloating etc) I'd see the GP.

yeah i would suspect food intolerences as well, so go to the gp, does she have asthma or repeated chest infections?

I agree, and think you may need to be more open minded. And you definitely need to get her checked out. Ds1 has an insatiable appetite, and it is very hard work. very skinny. Apparently it is common with Aspergers.

I am totally with you about viewing intolerances as fussy eating - I was brought up you ate what was in front of you and supliments were a waste of money if you had a good varied diet - having had ds1 I am totally over that, he has changed my view - he is dairy intollerant and his bloated belly as disappeared since we cut down on wheat, I also now suppliment and give him probiotics most days and every day if he has a bug and in the past after antibiotics.

I would have described him as you have your dd when he was that age -he was a very different shape to his brothers

Also, his poo is more regular and 'normal', at one point I wondered how I would be able to potty train him as he has constant toddler diorreha (sp?)

We had the opposite though he had no appetite which has increased 10 times since cutting dairy.

I would get it checked out especially before restricting diet at that age but do remain open minded about food intollerances - she may well have some and then grow out of it