Please help :( 15 month old not eating..been going on a while now!

[yellowcracker]

Hello,

I've tried talking to the doctor about this but seem un interested as she's still doing wet/dirty nappies and doesn't appear malnourished. Keep being told it's just a phase but it is getting steadily worse to the point now she won't eat hardly anything!

She's been sick what seems like constantly for about 7 months but with general viruses nothing serious. Ate well before this.

At the moment this is how our day goes:

Wake 7/7.30

Breakfast 8ish (will eat small bowl of Cheerios, shredded wheat small amount of fruit) refuses anything else.

Lunch 12.30/1ish (refuses sandwhich, licks cheese of cracker, eats two crisps, eats fruit)

Dinner 17/17.30 eats nothing. Cries until I get her out high chair.

19.30 cup of warm milk and Bed

Used to eat snacks such as rasins and breadsticks between meals but advised to cut out by HV to increase appetite at meal times but made no difference! She sleeps well and seems happy...apart from mealtimes!

Please any advice welcome...food ideas...routines anything

As you have mentioned the HV, I take it she's been weight and measured regularly?

Is she still growing ok?

If so then they won't worry about them. I wouldn't starve them between meals to get them to ear more, children this age are often grazers and that's fine.

I recommend this book 'My Child Won't Eat!: How to enjoy mealtimes without worry' it's worth it's weight in gold.

Also eating with them is also quite important. They will often eat more that way. Our kids have always had a late dinner so we all eat together, and just cooking one meal for everyone.

Get ears checked. Ear infections can make chewing hurt. If shes had lots of colds, she might have a low grade infection

Thank you for your reply! Yes HV has no concerns, but still doesn't make me feel reassured! I am convinced it is all my fault. I have just looked up the book you mentioned and it's now ordered so thank you for that!

I have tried eating with her every meal, letting her get on with it on her own, helping her, finger foods etc. She always has what we have plus few veggies I think she will eat on the side. I'm exhausted by it all.

I took her to the doctor on Monday and they said her ears are red inside but not enough to warrant treatment, I may take her back as they may have got worse I suppose.

I need to work on keeping meals stress free as I get upset when she's doesn't eat.

She eats next to nothing I don't get how she keeps going.

Thank you so much x

OP - my DD is 18 months and I've been having the same troubles for months- I could have written your post. So I don't have any advice just a tonne of sympathy! I hope you find some great advice

If she seems fit and well, then yes this is just a phase. My eldest was like this and I worried myself sick about it. My HV checked him out, even though he was thin he was healthy. She advised me to make mealtimes relaxed, easier said than done, and I tried my best.

He eventually grew out of it and now he's a massive 6ft tall, still skinny, and a foodie with an real interest in food.

Please try not to worry because your DC will pick up on this and meal times become a time of anxiety for everyone, rather than a joy.

So she's gaining weight and growing as she should? If she is then stop worrying. Concentrate on giving her calorie dense meals and snacks. Concentrate on keeping her eating, I think a reluctant eater gets used to not eating. Keep meal times stress free.
If she's not growing properly then back to the GP and keep pushing. My DS went through a phase like this turned out he had pneumonia (diagnosed by xray) and it took a physio to completely clear his chest and get his appetite back properly.

This can be so stressful, and so many different things to try. But honestly if she's happy please don't stress yourself out about it :) they can survive very well on very little. And nothing lasts, everything is a phase

Thank you so much for all the advice, I am sure it is a phase like a lot of you have said. She's happy and weight is fine.

I need to remember she's only tiny and doesn't need much food to keep going!

I definitely need to not stress so much

If she will eat cereal for breakfast then could you maybe try a bowl of something with her milk at 19.39? Might give you some piece of mind that she's had something before bed?

Funnily enough I tried the cereal thing tonight before bed and she ate the lot. Makes me think that this could well be just a fussy stage...that has just lasted a long time!

It's just knowing what to do and when to 'give in'. Obviously I don't want her to be hungry but I also don't want her to think if she doesn't eat her dinner she will get what she wants as I worry this will just go on forever. I have her porridge as it's quite boring and tasteless so hopefully she won't see it as a treat!

I think the book will really help you. It's great she's still growing well. My youngest was fussy and it really help me relax about it.
They won't stave themselves so don't worry about this. Sounds like your doing everything right. Keep offering different foods she get it in the end.