13 month old- regularly goes off food for stretches of 3+ days...

[bakeacake]

Even with lots of good distractions/ toys etc, he just doesn't want to know. He is quite happy in himself though is quite possibly teething as he has very red cheeks. For example, today's lunch- he had one spoon of tomatoey pasta, then refused. He then accepted a couple of cubes of cheese but then turned his nose up. One slice of banana, then refused anymore. Similar story for three days now. I don't mind so much at breakfast and tea time as he has bottles at beginning and end of the day anyway. If this happens for 3 days running, I give him milk for lunch instead!! Today he had 7oz and has now slept for ages. Just wondered whether the lunchtime milk was an OK thing to do. He is fairly low on the weight charts. If he was on 75%, I would be more inclined to just let him go without at lunch. Would appreciate any thoughts..!

My dd goes off her food when she's poorly or tired. The longest she went with hardly anything in her stomach - not even milk - was 10 days. Once she felt better she ate like a horse for a week! The fact that you son has been sleeping a lot seems to suggest that he needs rest more than food. I wouldn't worry nor force him to eat, as long as what he does eat is good for him. I'm not sure about giving him milk instead though, at least not systematically, as it will reduce his appetite for food even more.
Also their appetite reduces after 1y.

This is still going on... 4 full days. He is sleeping the same as before and is as cheeky as ever so I don't think he's ill at all. Can't feel any teeth coming through. Every meal is 2 spoons/ bites max and that is a struggle. He only had 3oz milk for lunch today so I doubt I'm suppressing his appetite.

He has had periods of not eating but these are getting more often and for longer periods each time. Does anyone else's child do this?!!! Or is there some illness he could be suffering from whilst still acting as happy as Larry?!

I'm so sorry I know how miserable that is. Both my boys went completely off their food last week and barely got by on a teaspoon a day for a week! All I can say is that they're packing it away this week, and they seem to acclimatise...

I know it's really nerve-racking but there isn't a great deal you can actually do about it. I tried to top them up with favourites like marmite soldiers and fromage frais. I personally think that as long as you don't make an issue out of it things will pass and he will be fine.

Don't forget they are programmed to keep themselves alive (!) so he will be ok.....

HTH

It does help to hear that- thanks Bumbled . I do hate him to lose weight but I don't have the patience to keep trying to persuade him to eat anymore. He even throws toys off the table at the moment so I see little point in bothering!