11 Year old DD won't eat breakfast

[Milla37]

My 11 year old DD refuses to eat breakfast or drink anything in the morning before school - she says she feels really sick every day (looks pretty pale & poorly too). I really want her to have something, even if its just a yoghurt or cereal bar, as she doesn't eat at school until 11ish. We have battles every day, & if I do get her to eat even a couple of mouthfuls she then dashes up to the bathroom......not sure what happens there..... Should I just let it go or should I be more concerned? The situation's making everyone miserable...Help!

A lot of people don't like to eat when they first get up. Could you get her up half an hour earlier to give her more time to "come round" before giving her food?

My DD is 9 and has never been a big breakfast eater. I am always shoving bowls of cereal at her in the car, which I later find still full up. However, if yours is 11 and rushing off the bathroom after eating .....

Has this been going on for long? Could she be worried about school do you think?

FWIW, my DS who is 11.7 has started turning around and saying he hates toast for some reason. So, I have started making things like flap jack with dried cranberries in or blackberry oat bars or muffins and he will happily eat all of those.

Do you think she could be making herself be sick with the couple of mouthfuls she does have?

Yes, have to admit I'm more than a bit worried that she's making herself sick. What reassures me (slightly) is that she's said she wants to go to the Dr about feeling sick in the morning - I've made an appointment today but they can't fit her in without missing school before next Tuesday. I'm off to make some flap jacks now....although I've tried to get her to have a shop-bought one or cereal bar without success so not sure this will work.

She's been up & down about school too (started secondary in September) so could be stress-related. I'll watch how she is this weekend. Thanks for everyone's help & comments!

I'm not much of a morning eater either and sometimes even brushing my teeth in the morning can make me heave. Does she get up horrendously early?

I've been told that it can be down to blood sugar levels dropping too low at night, so you could try looking st what she eats in the evening and making sure she has something that will regulate her blood sugar til morning.

But it also might be worry over something so talk to her too.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Also, she could take the flapjack/cereal bar with her and eat it on the way to school or when she gets there?

How about getting her to help make the flapjack? I have also taken to getting my cookery books down and asking DS1 to choose things out of it that he might like to eat and this has gone down very well.

Starting secondary school is a big step (DS1 also started in September), more lessons, more homework and in DS1's case a huge school compared to the village primary that he left. Does she have many friends etc, did any of her friends from primary go up with her?

Thanks all. Yes, she gets up at 6.30ish as has to be out of the house by 8am so maybe it's blood sugar/tiredness. She's never been great at breakfast but since starting secondary school it's got much worse. She only knew one friend from primary (she also went from a tiny "family" primary to the biggest secondary in the borough) & has had various fallouts recently with her new friends. She seems to perk up if I offer to take her to school rather than walking, though this doesn't seem to make any difference to her breakfast eating. I'll definitely try the recipe book idea - think she'll enjoy that as I've maybe not given her the individual attention she needs...I've also got a 9 yr old DD & 6 month old baby boy so it's been a bit hectic recently!

Hard isn't it. DS1 sometimes says to me "oh mum you never listen" and it is true because I am often busy with other things..

Good luck and keep the Dr's appointment - you never know she just might open up a little.

I think I'd underestimated how hard it would be for her transferring to secondary school - and 11 seems to be quite a difficult age - one minute she's so independent & wants me to leave her to it, the next she's all tearful & needing cuddles...I guess the hormones are kicking off too! So hard to know how to handle them....

Thanks for your help - I'll post after Dr appointment, hopefully that'll help sort things out.