Youngest DD won't eat!

[applejacksauntie]

Hi. Sorry if this is long but I am really frustrated and am desperate to know I am not alone. My youngest DD (5) won't eat. She prefers doing anything to eating. I give her a wide range of foods to try. She won't touch them. I have tried naughty step if she won't eat, gentle persuasion, talking about why she won't eat everything I can think of but nothing is working. When she does eat she is incredibly slow. It can take her an hour and a half to eat a small meal. When she was a baby, she used to hold food in her mouth for up to half an hour without swallowing and she does this sometimes now! I gave her cereal this morning at her request. She didn't even try it. Told me she is not hungry. She must be hungry though as she didn't eat breakfast or lunch yesterday and then only half of her dinner. She is a healthy weight and is growing beautifully but I am so worried. She has an older sibling who eats (or at least tries) everything. What can I do? Thanks.

Hi Apple, it's stressful isn't it. I would suggest cutting back her portions to a size that is realistic for her to eat within 30 minutes. Also is she snacking? That would need to go, a
massive dose of fresh air and running around the park also helps.
My DD was exactly the same bit has now grown out of it (11), she eats like a horse. dS2 (7) would still love on fresh air if I let him. Also feed her only what she likes for a few days to try and break the habit. Most importantly try not to get frustrated like I did.

Thanks. She very rarely snacks but I could definitely increase her exercise. Thinking about it it has definitely been worse this week whilst she has been on half term.

I think some children just can't be bothered, foods less important to them. Having spent years battling with DD I have taken a far more laid back approach with my youngest. They do come out the other end if it eventually. Does she like her fruit and veg?

She will eat grapes, melon and apple and that's about it. If I give her veg she won't eat it. I tell her that she eats it or goes without, so she leaves it and doesn't eat a thing. She doesn't even ask for anything else. She is very stubborn which doesn't help

With me, the more pressure I have to eat, the harder I find it to eat.

Try puting out a plate with a selection of healthy things (eg fruit, yoghurt, cereal snack bar, small (talking about 1" square) sandwich, and say if she's hungry she can help herself from that. Don't comment on how much/little she's eaten and see if that encourages her.