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Original poster

Meal replacement shakes for a just gone 2yr old? :(

28 replies

fastasleep · 28/02/2006 09:48

I'm at the end of my tether with DS refusing to eat, and he's so thin he looks like a POW and doesn't even register on the centiles anymore... if anything different happens (like the arrival of DD, a cold etc) he starts refusing to eat. We just started the dreaded potty training and predictably he's completely refusing food (except for a little yoghurt and honey this morning, thank god!) I've tried him on an old slim-fast shake Blush which I had when PG because I had hyperemesis and couldn't eat.... but as he usually doesn't have anything sweetened he thought it was digusting... are there any for kids? Where can I get them? He needs some kind of nourishment!

Runs to stick him on the potty!

OP posts:
chapsmum · 28/02/2006 09:53

my nephew is exactly the same as this! except he will eat (lowers her voice and prepares to runn for cover) t u r k e y t w i z l e r s! and the like!

My sister tried hiding broccili in his macaroni and chees, another on of his favourites and he was actually sick! He didn't even know it was there!

Do you think it is an appetite problem or behavour problem?

Gloworm · 28/02/2006 09:53

go to your health shop, or online, and get a tub of Ultralife Fruit and Veg. one glass contains 5 portions of fruit and veg, and its all the really nutritious ones like brocelli.
it is a powder which you mix with water. It tases like diluted orange. Does have a small amount of sugar but no artifical colours or sweetners.
You need something with a lid to mix it in, and need to shake it really hard.
We always keep a tub in the house and use it when the kids are off their food, or if they get a bit constipated(it has lots of fibre from the fruit and veg).

I probably wouldnt give slimfast to a kid though!

Enid · 28/02/2006 09:54

so he drinks?

make a milkshake with milk and ice cream and fruit? or milk yog honey and fruit. Buy that jersey milk with extra fat in it (I give that to dd1)

Enid · 28/02/2006 09:55

he doesnt need fruit and veg! He needs fat and lots of it.

serenity · 28/02/2006 09:57

You can, but I think they are prescription only. We were given some a couple of years ago by a friend of DH (I have no idea why, and I have no idea why Dh is too polite to say 'bog off' when people do this!) They look like little drinks cartons with straws, and were strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. Go and see your GP, and ask if he can give you a prescription to try them. I'd be wary of giving him things aimed at adults tbh.

If you think he'll drink milkshake style stuff, why not try making your own but add some multivitamin syrup?

Gloworm · 28/02/2006 09:58

\link{http://www.ultralifeshop.co.uk/product-view.asp?Product=Fruit&action=summary\ultralife website}

they also do one called Multi-vite which might help him

HenniPenni · 28/02/2006 10:00

Try making fruitshakes but replace the milk with cream- calorific and yummy!

Furball · 28/02/2006 10:00

\link{http://www.superbrandsindia.com/superbrands2003/complan/complan.htm\complan}

Gloworm · 28/02/2006 10:01

forgot to say...I didnt mean this as a meal replacement! I just meant it would help top up any vitamins/minerals/fibre missing in his diet.

agree he need lots of high fat etc.

seeing as he eats yoghurt could you hide something in there?

foxinsocks · 28/02/2006 10:03

do you get him the full fat yog? The yeo valley organic ones tend to be full fat

agree with others - make a milk shake with full fat ice cream/full fat milk and his favourite flavour (mashed up banana or whatever)

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 28/02/2006 10:09

We've used Paediasure and Ccandishakes in the past though through a dietician so I don't know if you can get them over the counter.

What about something like Minadex Tonic?

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 28/02/2006 10:09

Sorry - that's Scandishakes.

kreamkrackers · 28/02/2006 10:44

my dd is on nutrini which is a high calorie milk which a dietician put her on. there's a milkshake version of it called fortini. if dd eats now it's a bonus for us, she's 21 months and has multiple problems so talk to a gp and get referred to a dietician to see what they have to say. a dietician has to put a child on this milk.

Original poster
fastasleep · 28/02/2006 12:48

He refuesed milkshakes, just banana and milk and banana with ice cream... I only gave him slimfast as a last ditch attempt! He loves vegetables, if he'll eat anything he'll eat tonnes of veggies.... but then no fatty foods at all Sad

He hates the flavourings of milk! Think he'd be better with something that tasted like plain milk... ARGH!

Can't get to see a dietician as GP says 'just put butter in his food, he's fine'

OP posts:
Tommy · 28/02/2006 13:02

I'm pretty sure that a person can actually live on bananas as they contain all the nutrients you need.
Bananas and milk is a not too bad diet but, it's not really ideal is it?!
Know how you feel fastasleep. My DS1 is similar although he is eating slightly more quantity now (he's 4.1) but very little variety. He more or less lived on milk from age 1-2 and would not have anything added to it.
Hang in there (easier said than done)

Piffle · 28/02/2006 13:06

ASk your GP about paediasure
It is total meal replacement ans is a nice milk shake.
only on prescription and they'll likely lob you off to a dietitian. WE used paediasure as dd was low weightgain, she is off it now though.

meggmoo · 28/02/2006 13:09

If he'll eat fruit and veg would he eat avocadoes or have a guacamole dip with veggies?

They are loaded with good oils and quite fatty.

How old is he? Old enough to eat nuts?

MrsBigD · 28/02/2006 13:15

fastasleep - oh how I hated the phrase 'put butter on it'...

dd was and still is very slight and was referred to paediatrician and dietician when she was just over 1 year old. She was put on nutrini and was on it for quite some time. Downside was I found that that milk filled her up very pronto so she'd eat even less. At 2yo I would have been happy if she'd eaten a banana! 2 bites and that would be it. Now she's 4 and eating well :) and actually demanding food! Though she loves healthy stuff like tomatoes, veggies, cucumber, fruit etc. One of the paeds I saw said well you can hardly withhold healthy food from a child in benefit of trying to get fatty stuff down her. THankfully dd discovered chocolate, pizza etc. about 1 year ago and the upward trend continues :)

Have a look at ds's overall growth/weight curve... dd never was in any curve but had a semi-steady upward trend (minute at times). So if your ds's curve is actually dropping your GP should definitely refer you to at least a nutritionist if not the paed... at least imho.

Good luck! Also as long as your ds is alert there shouldn't be any major issues with him not eating all that much... a healthy child won't starve on purpose

edam · 28/02/2006 13:19

Oh FGS your GP should be shot. You need a referral to a dietitian asap. Afraid all you can do is go back and hassle him. Sometimes doctors have to be bullied into taking action.

Food Standards Agency website should have info on what a toddler diet should be ideally \link{http://www.food.gov.uk\fsa} - print it out, then write down what your ds actually eats for a day/week and show your GP the difference and insist on a referral. Presumably the GP knows how much your ds weighs and how tall he is? Might be worth writing it down on the same sheet (noting that it's off the bottom of the centiles) as the meal diary just to bring home the point. Or could your HV help get the referral?

You might also find the British Nutrition Foundation helpful: \link{www.nutrition.org.uk\BNF}

My mum used to rely on milkshakes for my sister who was similar to your ds - but she used to add raw egg. This was in the days before salmonella was such a problem though, not sure it would be advised now.

saadia · 28/02/2006 13:21

Would he have peanut butter, that's quite calorific and has protein. Maybe mash it up with banana.

Original poster
fastasleep · 28/02/2006 14:27

No Tommy he refused the just bananas and milk, I can't type today, knackered and potty training brain is frazzled! Lol!

He's refusing eating even vegetables at the minute, when he's being good he pretty much only eats fruit and veg.

I might have to drag him, wet pants, pooey bottom, potty and all, to the doctors tomorrow... this is not fair, not right at the beginning of potty training!

Edam, thankyou :) his growth on the centile was curving lightly upwards but is now going along a straight line, may even have dropped slightly over the last few weeks, with the colds he keeps getting....

lunchtime was a farse and a half! I made one of his old faves, pasta with parboiled veg in sweet basil, butter and cheese which he refused to go near, then made him cheese and biscuits, he ate a tiny amount of biscuit, then I tried him with some tomatoes, he loves them, he ate one.

Pulls hair out

OP posts:
Original poster
fastasleep · 28/02/2006 14:27

slightly upwards even*

OP posts:
Tommy · 28/02/2006 15:46

sorry Sad
no help at all then am I?!

kreamkrackers · 28/02/2006 16:17

if you want something that tastes like milk the nutrini my dd is on is a high calorie milk, again need to see a dietician to be put on this though. dp has tried it and he says it's a very creamy type of milk. it's by a company called nuticia but they also make cow and gates milks. there's another thread on here today called 6 year old underweight - what to do? that might be helpful to you.

Original poster
fastasleep · 28/02/2006 16:56

Tommy don't worry :) DH has bought some complan, if he hates it then I'll demand to see a dietician, I might have to give up potty training him because the change to routine is freaking him out so much he's losing the will to eat anything

please god let pancakes with butter and whipped double cream tempt him!

(Can't being myself to feed him dreaded sugary things though!)

OP posts: