Any dieticians out there or anyone in the know? NEED HELP

[poppiesinaline]

My DS is extremely skinny. He is very small and VERY thin. He has no appetite and hardly eats anything. He is 9 and weighs just 3 stone. Just recently his energy levels have dropped too.

I have just popped him on some Floradix but was wondering if there was any other tonic I could give him to boost his appetite and what kind of healthy stuff can I give him to eat with LOADS of calories in it? He eats lots of fruit but that obviously isnt going to help him put weight on.

PLEASE HELP!!

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HAve you asked your gp for a referral to a dietician, is he aware of your concerns?

Four year olds tend not to eat as they dont find food fun, do you think this is the case?
floradix is really just an alternative to an iron suplament. I would consider a more all round vitimin like minidex as well.

If you feel his energy levels are affected or he has lost weight I defiately think you should see your gp

this thread has some good advice except for the slimfast shake bit

He is 9. He hasnt suddenly gone off his food, he has never eaten well. He used to have a dairy intolerance which hasnt helped and although he can tolerate milk now he cant seem to tolerate vast quantities of dairy products.

Whenever I have spoken to GP about it (or HV in the past) they just say he is growing and dont worry. But now it has been going on for so long and just seems to be getting worse I am beginning to get a little worried.

His 6 year old sister eats more than him. Do you think I need to go back to GP and stand my ground then?

Thanks for replying Chapsmum btw, your comments were helpful.

If it is affecting his health and energy then it is definitely a referral you need. He may need blood tests as it sounds like he could possibly be anaemic
My dd has been supplemented all her life but with dairy based nutrition/pharmaceutical shakes, her one is called paediasure (also mentioed on the other thread)
What is his favourite food?
Oils are good fatteners, butter, cheese are the best ones, add (sunflower)oil to drinks, extra to any foods to increase fat.
But at his age he will be needing protein.
Will he eat eggs? super source of protein.
You can try high protein meats pureed into gravy or soup?
If there are times when he has eaten well, has he gained weight normally then?
For instance my dd eats well but gains weight very slowly, she has a genetic condition which keeps her small, so we know this and can work accordingly.
Losing weight at that age is a red flag though, I would think at the very least referral to paediatrician who will then refer yuo onto a dietitian having ruled out anything else.WE see a dietitian every 6 weeks for dd, so excuse me if I seem a little blurby about this subject

Your gp is there for your reassurance as well as your sons health. There is no point in worrying yourself sick when a visit a check up and a prescription for some vitamins could help you both.

Given the fact that he has had dairly intollerences it would be worth persuing this to make sure that he does not have any other ongoing problems.

The childrens dieticians are fab!

floor picnics, adventure snacks, getting him involved in cooking are all great ways of getting him to eat. I once knew a psychologist who said some kids of 2 and a half to 3 would eat one good meal every 48 hours and approx 8 tbs of food per day. Make sure the food you offer first is good and calerific. Home made flap jacks with oats and syrup and dried fruit are great for him to snak on. Although fibre is good and helps kids bowel motions etc it can sometimes make them feel fuller than they actually are.mforified cereal is agreat source of vitamins. crispy cakes, cereal bars.

Milkshakes with fruit and honney are another way of getting caleries into him.

piffle that reminds me aa dietician advised a friend of mine to add cocont oil to food as it is very calerific and low allergen...

Coconut oil has a definite taste but as chaps ssaid it is very high in fat and useful if your child would not notice the taste.
I'm actually going to train as a dietitian in the next couple of years so am dead keen on all this lark.

thanks guys. This is so helpful. I think I will make an appt with my GP.

No prob, good luck with career piffle, sounds as if your on the right tracks already!

hi my dd (3yo) has a dairy allergy. she is also v skinny but this is like her dad. she has a dietician and peadiatrician (sp?) get referred from your gp. the dairy thing means that a whole load of fats are out of bounds so you have to use others, it seems to go hand in hand with failure to thrive.

I mix meat fat into her food and max on soya yoghurt, dark chocolate carbs, fats and protein. she has a cooked bfast in the mornings and loads of casseroles with lamb as it's so fatty.

ah thanx Manitz. That would make sense actually, the failure to thrive thing. I have often wondered that but the GP always seems to poohpooh me.

Dietitians have a chart called "Thrive Lines" and they are very different to centile charts.
WE though dd was a Fail to Thrive but she actually had her own "thrive line"
It was really reassuring and we now have finally stopped obsessing about her weight.