6 yr old DD barely eats. Can you recommend a good dietary supplement?

[dontrunwithscissors]

I realise a suppliment is no substitute for a good diet, but we are having massive problems getting DD2 (almost 6) to eat much. She's never been a big eater, but the range of foods she will eat is getting smaller.

I'm really worried that she's malnourished. She's always tired and prone to catching bugs.

We're trying to tackle it, but in the short term I want to try a vitamin supplement as a back up.

I've tried her with some chewy blackcurrant multivitamins, but she refused them because of the taste. Any suggestions of supplements that taste ok and are good quality? She's so fussy, she doesn't like a lot of sweet stuff that most kids would happily scoff (ice cream/some cake/many biscuits).

What does she like? Is there any way of making those things healthier?

Could try the kids dlux vitamin d spray. It's a spray so no need to eat anything as such

Many thanks.

She used to love yoghurts, but now refuses them. She also loved ham, but her packed lunch now comes back with the ham left and she's eaten just the bread. She's stopped eating cheesy pasta. She will ask for an apple and then just nibble at it a few times and say she's had enough. There's no point in the 'eat this and you can have pudding' as she regularly says she doesn't like it. I can't even persuade her eat ice cream!

The only thing she really enjoys is fish fingers. Her sister will eat most things so I don't think it's something we're doing. She just doesn't seem bothered about food, nor being hungry. And it's getting worse.

I've just been to a dietician with ds's similar issues, though he is ridiculously healthy despite the limited diet. They suggested that if he will take Calpol and similar, to try a liquid vitamin supplement and that the Vitabiotics one is often accepted by kids who won't eat chewy vitamins.
Though not tried it yet as not in local shops - about to try their berry chewy ones.

Meant to say that perhaps I should take her to the GP. She keeps coming down with random bugs and has a lot of antibiotics recently. She often doesn't respond fully from
The first course.

What about buying pedisure? If a calorific powder that comes in flavours to can add to stuff if she will take. Can add in porridge/milkshakes or similar.

Mine eat well and anything, but have never said they are hungry or asked for food. I mainly just give them food and they eat then. I never give them snacks in between as then they won't eat snacks and be hungry enough for meals. We always all sit together also

Could you give more fish if she likes? Can you make own fishfingers so you can add stuff? Ie parmesan fish fingers.

If she will eat creamy/ or sauce stuff it's obviously easier to hide extra stuff

milk. If you are european. It is a complete food in itself, by design.

I will look at liquid vitamins, although the palaver we have to get her to take the (liquid) antibiotics is ridiculous. She's afraid of taking any medicine and even calpol is difficult.

My ultra fussy daughter after a lot if testing will eat Mr Tumee multivitamins - theyre fairly specialist so you will need to Google to find a supplier.

They are rammed full of and coated with sugar, so they are effectively sugar covered jelly sweets, hence why DD will tolerate them.

Could it be related to her tonsils? My daughter was just like this until she had hers out. May also have low iron which leads to less appetite..

Thanks lyncee and itsall

I think I'm going to take her to the GP as she's very pale at the moment. I just dread if they're going to do blood tests.

I do wonder if fussy eating has a genetic basis. I was a very fussy eater as a child and my parents despaired. However, they've said DD is worse than I ever was & I was never poorly. I've definitely grown out of it and i have a decent diet now so I don't think she's copying anyone in the house. DD1 eats anything.

Will she eat porridge/ oatmeal? Very easy to add powders of various sorts hidden in there. Either vitamins or extra nutrients like powdered chia seed

My 4 yr old ds sounds very similar. I try to make myself feel better by making sure he has some vitamins. He doesn't like the chewy ones but has the haliborange liquid vitamins quite happily now, on a spoon. It's sold in boots, for ages 3-12 I think & has extra omega added.

I'd take her to the GP if I were you - this is not so much fussy eating as barely eating which would worry me.

Ds2 has never been much of s drinker and this eventually started causing medical problems. Since then we insist he drinks a certain volume each meal. We built it up and he now finds it easy to comply (was hard going at first). Id be worried about trying this with food though as I'd worry about it causing bigger issues. Stomachs do shrink though so the less she eats the more easily she'll feel full and it can be a bit of a vicious cycle. Have you tried things like long walks/ bike rides? They're good for stimulating appetite.

I use probiotics for kids called Optibac; I also use the well kids vitamin from vitabiotics. I use manuka honey 15 or 18 plus and sambucol when they are coming with a cold. They have also had cranial ostheopathy for reflux and other digestive issues.

is it possible she's "self medicating"

some foods make her feel funny/a bit ill?

I think I'd take her to the Dr get a few things ruled out.

sounds very stressful

I have always felt the main hereditary component of fussy eating is to do with the parents' reaction to it. So what your expectations of eating are or aren't, and most critically what alternatives you do or don't offer when a child starts refusing to eat things.

However, the child who just doesn't eat is very very hard to handle without finding yourself going down a route of trying to work out what you can offer that they will eat. Which can reinforce fussy behaviours.

I absolutely agree with above posters in encouraging you to talk this one through with your GP. Sort out what medical issues there may or may not be first, and get them managed. Don't be afraid to ask for help with anything treatable that turns up.

Once you know that she is otherwise fine (and/or things are sorted out to that point) then I think trying to have a relaxed approach to what she eats while continuing to offer realistic and balanced options, may be your best option. Rules about trying new / different foods are useful to establish - for instance have at least one mouthful of something before leaving it, or you must eat some of everything before you eat your potatoes, or new foods must be tried at least 3 (or 5 or whatever) times before you can say you don't like them. Have a think about which would fit your situation and child, but keep it straightforward and be matter of fact implementing them once the time is right.

Best wishes.

aSk for a coeliac test - my DC had similae issues and that. Was the causes

As much as I hate to say it eating disorders aren't unheard of in children even that young.
I would take her to the GP and get her checked over. What does she eat on a normal day?

Fussy eater and turned out to be Coeliac here too.
Do a food diary for a week and recOrd every thing she eats and quantities.
If she pale and sickly basic blood tests and coeliac screen.