5 year old not eating

[Jaitinder]

Hi
We are really worried about our 5 year old daughter. She usually eats very well but since October, will not eat much at school during lunch times, saying she is scared of being sick. This seems to have been as a result of someone being sick during lunch. However, she would eat her lunch on the way home and have a proper dinner.
Two weeks ago she had flu and was not eating much. She still has a bit of a cough. But her appetite started to get back to normal. On boxing day, she had a cocktail sausage but started gagging as something had got stuck in her throat. She was ok but since then she keeps saying she is scared of choking and she has missed several mealtimes. She has started eating a bit but not much. She gets very upset if the food gets stuck on her teeth and she will drink lots of water after each small mouthful.
We googled it and there is something called food dysphagia or fear of choking. We are so worried and not sure what to do. Please help me.

Try not to make her fear worse by worrying or getting internet diagnoses. It's about building her confidence rather than amplifying her nervousness. Start with smooth soups, chunkier soups, then soft things like egg dishes, poached white fish (carefully screened for bones of course), pasta in sauce and minced meat dishes, stewed fruit, ice-cream. Supplement meals with nutritious drinks like milk and fruit juices. Once she's back in the habit of eating foods that require no effort she'll have forgotten all about the sick/choking problem and you can reintroduce lumpier/chewier foods

Talk to school before she goes back if she's still not eating at lunchtime. Get them to monitor. And, of course, if the problem persists longer than you think it should, see your GP

Hi
Thank you for your message. It's very helpful. Today has been a bit better. She helped cook dinner and then tried it without getting too agitated and picking all the food off her teeth, which is what she has been doing up until now. She didn't mention the choking/sick fear today.
Thank you again.

I think you should go to your GP. Internet diagnosis can be a dangerous thing.

I agree, just try to stay calm and reassuring. By all means go to the GP but I wouldn't talk about it in front of her. Maybe someone could wait outside with her? And don't forget to heaping the praise when she does eat