HELP: 4yr old "allergic" to veggies? Anybody else seen this?

[formerlyknownasfatslag]

I would love to know if anyone else has had this problem. ds1 (4) has always resisted veggies and only eats raw carrots and tomatoes. I've never pushed him too hard because he eats lots of fruit.

Recently he has seemed a little more willing to try things, so I have started encouraging him to eat tiny bits of broccoli for rewards and have also managed to get him to eat sauteed sweet potato - a very big step forward for him.

DH who is rather less patient about the whole thing took over trying to get DS1 to eat a plate of broccoli and chicken. Instead of doing like me and stopping after a few little pieces with wild applause, DH kept going and kept going.

DS1 was gagging throughout the meal, and often gags when you try to get him to eat veg. So you can guess what happened... ds1 suddenly threw up his whole meal. DH explodes with rage, DS1 covered in sick and screaming.. lovely.

I begged DH not to be too hard on him, but DH is convinced that DS1 MADE HIMSELF SICK. I am equally convinced that this is impossible and that somehow the little lad has got such an aversion to veg that it does quite literally make him sick. He was also sick once at school and the canteen ladies claimed that he had "made himself" sick.

FFS we are talking about a 4 yr old! Surely he can't be making himself throw up. Advice please!

Our ds can make himself gag & throw up if he's coerced into trying something new and he's feeling resistant, and it sounds like your ds can too!

Children are smarter & more manipulative than often given credit for. No need to do this performance for you because you 'pander' (sorry couldnt't think of a better word) to him, with your dh who is less sympathetic it sounds like your ds just upped the ante!

I'm not surprised he was sick if he was gagging throughout the meal. Not necessarily manipulative as in 'made himself, possibly just physical reaction to being compelled to eat large quantities of something he finds repellent. That doesn't mean vegetables make him sick, it means force feeding a child makes them sick.

Your dh has really screwed up here. Your tactics were working but I bet ds1 recoils in horror next time you try to encourage him to eat something new.

I would gag too if someone tried to shove food down my throat that I didn;t want to eat.

I hardly think it's manipulation, just him not being able to cope with it. gagging is not something you can usually control.

I should go back to the softly softly approach.

my just five-year old dd is a pro at making herself sick.

if your ds refuses to eat and does it again, then just clear up the sick, with no comment and ask him to finish his meal (if he hasnt been sick on the plate).

Lol Lady Victoria! I have visions of DH tipping sick off the plate and rinsing bits of hamburger! eeewwww

As for pandering, I really don't see the point of trying to force a child who is obviously healthy and thriving to eat anything. Particularly one who would choose a strawberry over a chocolate biscuit and doesn't eat sweets.

My nephew can make himself puke if he wants to and has been able to since he was really young. Having said that, I doubt your DS did it in a manipulative way (ie I doubt he thought 'I know, I'll puke on him - that'll learn him'). In any case, your DH should definitely not be hard on him. He's 4

I get horrible colicky pains if I eat broccoli.

As long as you don't throw up on me, you can come to dinner.

During pregnancies, brocoli were a big no no. I would fart the most horrible smelly farts for hours. Same with spinach.

I've never heard about alergies to vegetables in general, but some green veg can be difficult to digest, brussel sprouts anyone?

Your hubby's strategy is exactly the opposite of what should be done. I was a very fussy kid and I clearly remember my dad squeezing my cheeks to get me to open my mouth, and pushing chicken in (I hated meet). I did have a serious issue with food during teenage years.

I'm not sure what to suggest... if you put some veggies (not a bog amount,just a few bits) on his plate every meal, and don't make a big deal out of it. Does he eat same time as you, at the table? If might just pick a few and try, if he does just praise him a bit but don't fuss over him.

By the way, I absolutely hated onions, and I remember my dad trying to force feed me some and being sick all over the place. I clearly wasn't an allergy, but to me it was the texture instead of the taste that really put me off. Same with mushrooms, and peppers, and brocoli... I eat anything now!

i would be absofuckinglutely LIVID with dh right now if i was you.

Not as livid as I was when he rubbed Vicks onto ds1's chest against my protestations and the poor child reacted so violently that in his frantic attempts to rub it off, it went all over his face.

The next day it looked as if he had been physically abused, his top lip and his eyes swelled up - we even took a photo, it is quite horrifying!

But that's another story...

I should add hastily that he's a lovely guy and adores his kids! We all make mistakes!

I know... DS2 has (or had, I think I've cracked it now, see post in food - mother in law!) and the other day I ended up screeming at him because he refused to eat, even chips! I mean what kid doesn't eat chips... I was litteraly red in the face, furious, and I did shout at him. Poor thing.