Help. Child with Food Phobia

[acceptableinthe80s]

A friend of mine has a 3 yr old with a phobia of food, he only eats 2 different types of food. He has seen specialists (paediatric dietitians) and the best advice they have offered is sticker charts (she's tried, they don't work).

Medical reasons have been ruled out and she's been told it's a psychological problem and that there is no specialised help available. They also suggested she send him to a nursery for challenging children as the staff might be able to help.

So i'm posting here on her behalf in the hope that someone may have experience of this or some advice, she's understandably at her wits end.

TIA

Ds wasn't quite so extreme but wasn't far off - I tried everything.

Nothing worked.

Then I gave up. I just backed off - let him eat his cereal, yogurt, cheese and bread and left him to it - slowly but surely he started to ask to try things. It was a long slow process, he's 6 now and not the most adventurous but for example will eat a bacon and cheese pizza now or chicken and has lots and lots of fruit and especially raw veg. Still wont eat cooked veg for example. I can send him to a friends house or go out for a meal and know hell find something he likes to eat.

He still hates things like gravy or anything mushy. Interestingly, whilst he's very bright he's having a few issues with co-ordination now at school and I wonder if he has some kind of issue with things - he didn't like getting messy or sticky hands for example and didn't feed himself well until he was quite 'old'.

It's striking the difference I've seen between him and his younger sister. She has always fed herself since weaning - nobody has ever been allowed to help her, she loves trying new food, she loves getting her hands into food and feeling it and loves mixing food up - ds can't stand that. Eg even now he has cheese and bread and butter - he will not eat a cheese sandwich.

I don't know if I've been of any use at all, have waffled a lot !!!!!