Very Fussy Eater

[nellie75]

Please please help me, i have a son just about to turn five, he lives on cheese cheese and more cheese in the form of cheese on toast, pizza, potato waffles with cheese and cheese sandwiches, very occasionally i can persuade him to eat spaghetti hoops or a fish finger but he won't eat any meat at all and the only fruit or veg he will touch is raw carrots. I have tried letting him help me cook, making things into faces etc on the plate but nothing works, he will drink fresh fruit juice though. The biggest problem is that if he doesn't like the smell of something he won't even try it and i would love some advice from anyone else who has had a fussy eater, he does also have some learning difficulties which doesn't make it much easier. Please Help!!

decide what YOU want him to eat:

Give him what you want him to eat

If he eats it prasie praise praise; if not then fine chuck it in the bin and nothing else at all except water until next meal. (also dont comment or get into an arguemnet or debate about it)

repeat for as long as it takes....

(remembering no child has EVER starved themselves to death, and that hungry children will eat nice food put in front of them if they are hungry enough and realise that is all that there is and their option is eat it or starve)

NannyL - that's the approach I always took with my children BUT they were good eaters who sometimes just didn't fancy the look of something. But while i really agree with your no-nonsense approach, it does sound like Nellie's got quite a big problem and it might be too big a step for her and her DS right now. The other thing you might try is to, for example, put one very small piece of cucumber (or apple or banana or ham etc)on his plate. Only one piece and only one thing. Tell him he has to try that before he gets his cheesy meal. At first, he doesn't even have to eat it all, perhaps just lick it. Big clap/sticker/heaps of praise if does. He doesn't get his cheese meal til he tries it. Slowly over time increase the amount/varieties of things on his plate at a time? Have seen this approach used on TV programmes, but can't speak with any professional or personal authority on the matter!

meant to add then gradually phase out the cheese meals and move towards the approach nanny suggests. Also think it's important not to make too much of a fuss.

Thanks, like the idea of one small different piece of food before he can have the dinner that he really wants.

would be interested to know if it works!