3 year old weight loss

[DRSLondon]

Hi there

I'm very concerned as my 3 year old is losing weight. As a baby he was on a high calorie formula as he had failure to thrive and hes never been interested in food or very hungry. He has always been a fussy eater and so meal times are not great. I tend to make him what I know he will eat (pasta and cheese, eggy bread, sandwiches, falafel and rice, fish fingers). He doesn't like most things and it's difficult to get him to try anything new.
I took him to the doctor a month ago and she said that he probably just burns more than he eats. He has no other health concerns which you may expect such as fatigue, pains, rashes, problems urinating etc. In all other areas he is an energetic, bright and happy boy.

I'm going to go back to the doctor again but would you be very worried? Also shall I just give him unhealthy foods to boost his weight or am I then teaching him awful eating habits?

Sorry to ramble on. Thanks in advance xx

DS had weight gain issues (hate failure to thrive term!). His were caused by allergies so improved once I got in top of these.

Advise from dieticians was to add as many calories as possible. Olive oil to veg, add in puddings. If he's burning more than he eats it's an issue. Is he losing weight or just not gaining as quickly?

If you can add oil or cream to pasta or anything, I would suggest using grapeseed oil as it is tasteless. Double cream rather than single. Butter in the rice and extra oil in falafels (if you are making them). Anything to increase the calories without adding volume.
If he'll eat pancakes you can make them with some double cream instead of milk, and add grapeseed oil to the mixture as well, and cook in butter or oil, and serve with nutella if he likes it. Full fat milk, obviously. One of my DDs favourites (older than your son, but needs extra calories). I would focus on the calories for now.

Thank you for these suggestions. I'll do my best. I just worry there is an underlying health problem but i have an appointment this week for a paediatrician so will see X

I hope you get to the bottom of it. Great that you've been referred to the paediatrician x

I had to go privately as it would have taken forever. I'm worried he's actually got an eating disorder as meals are so emotionally charged.

What happens at meal times that make you think this?

It's important to rule out anything underlying. I was every fussy and underweight as a child and diagnosed with coeliac disease in my 30's. It had always been there looking back but I didn't have many obvious symptoms

I can only give you my experiences. Two of my children have been funny eaters. Dd ( now 21) was terrible. She literally hardly ate a thing. I was constantly worried. I had a great hv though. She advised me to pop into a sandwich bag the exact same stuff I thought dd had eaten. At the end of the day, I was always surprised to see how much she’d actuslly eaten, although far less seemingly than other kids who would shovel it in.

Dd was always pale. But rarely ill.
She now loves food and vegan eating a lot more once she started puberty. All kids are different.
You could always slip a drop or two of kids multi vitamins into their water to ensure they have enough.

Just try and get vit c in as it helps with iron absorption. Anaemia can mean they can get a weakened immune system.