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Original poster

My 4 year old thinks she will get fat if she eats :(

68 replies

sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 21:44

I am having real problems getting her to eat the last few weeks, as she can't talk probably yet, I can't explain much to her, but she said this morning when I asked what she wanted for breakfast "nothing, I will get fatter and fatter!!" Now none of us have any food problems, and we all eat well, so I have no idea where she could have got this from. I am worried as she is leaving her breakfast, eating at school (but not sure how much as she has school dinners) and picking at her evening meal. She also says it makes her feel sick.
Help

OP posts:
misdee · 07/02/2005 21:45
Sad
Peckarollover · 07/02/2005 21:46

No help but Ive had similiar with DD. She is 5 and is far too body conscious for my liking - will watch this thread with interest

tortoiseshell · 07/02/2005 21:47

sparkly - my ds (3) says this - he is a skinny thing btw, but I worked out it was from the very hungry caterpillar - he eats and eats and then it says 'that night he had a stomach ache', then later 'he wasn't a very hungry caterpillar, he was a big fat caterpillar'. Ds often says 'I'm not hungry, I'm a big fat boy' and I'm sure this is where it's from. Hope things improve!

Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 21:48

Even a cup of milk "make me sick" according to her

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kid · 07/02/2005 21:48

Could you speak to your health visitor for advice? I've never experienced a child being off their food at this young age, so can't offer any help or advice.

Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 21:49

it couldn't worry me if she had just gone off food but the fact is she is saying about getting fat

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Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 21:56

anyone Should I contact the HV or the school nurse?

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Kayleigh · 07/02/2005 21:59

Does she have a special friend with older sisters ? She has to be getting this from somewhere and that would be my bet.

misdee · 07/02/2005 22:00

both. ask if she is eating at school. i am having to dop the same with dd1 this week as she isnt eating atm, as she says she doesnt feel hungry (ithink she is worried about dh) but doesnt say anything about getting fat.

Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 22:00

no, she has only just started at the school and hasn't been round anyones house, and she only sees Misdee's DDs and they are the same age and younger

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SPARKLER1 · 07/02/2005 22:03

Have been trying to think what I would do if one of my dds had said this. I think the first thing that springs to mind is not to make too much of an issue in front of her about what she is saying. Still keep offering food and if she still refuses to eat it, just say "don't worry maybe you'll feel like it later". Keep the plate to one side and hope that she may want to pick at it later. Children will eat when they are ready.
It sounds like you need some reassurance though so definitely contact your health visitor and ask her advice. After all, that's what they are there for. Good luck xxx

misdee · 07/02/2005 22:03

mieows dd used to eat loads btw, so i can understand why this is upsetting her. and even tho mieow is skinny as can be, she eats like a horse (sorry sis!!)

Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 22:05

lol, misdee, are you saying I eat too much

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misdee · 07/02/2005 22:06

no, justsaying you dont skimp on meals. i'm the fat one who doesnt eat (baby pushing on my stomache makes it hard to eat a full meal these days)

Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 22:08

I know, but for Dd1 to say she will get fat is upsetting me, I was so shocked

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monkeygirl · 07/02/2005 22:09

My first thought was similar to someone else's, that someone at school has said something to her, whether it be an older kid or someone in her class? I would try to gently probe that way and even have a quiet word with her teacher although it might just have been a throwaway remark from a child who didn't really mean anything. My dd is 3 but got paranoid recently about being too tall and it was only when I quizzed her that she told me her friend had called her a giant!

misdee · 07/02/2005 22:11

dd1 is worried she is too small btw.doesnt help that her old friend from nurtseyr kept calling her little all the time. dd1 is very indignant that she isnt little (altho she is really).

motherinferior · 07/02/2005 22:11

Oh god, that's AWFUL. I think someone must have said something, too. How awful.

SPARKLER1 · 07/02/2005 22:12

Kids that age say a lot of things that they don't really mean in the way that we think they do. My dds (5 and 3) have told me that they have fat tummies before and I have just smiled and said that they are beautiful tummies. I think they hear things being said around them and they just use the words themselves and try to get a reaction from us as parents.

motherinferior · 07/02/2005 22:13

I think girls and food is too big to ignore, though.

misdee · 07/02/2005 22:14

this must really be upsetting you mieow. ask the school to see what she is eating there.

Blossomhill · 07/02/2005 22:15

Mieow - is this the dd that you have had worries with (asd)?

misdee · 07/02/2005 22:15

it is BH.

Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 22:16

she is regularly leaving her breakfast, and I can't even tempt her with marmite on toast (her fav.) I hate sending her to school with no breakfast inside her too

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Original poster
sparklymieow · 07/02/2005 22:16

yes BH. I can't for the life of me work out what has triggered this

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