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Original poster

Should you "feed up" a skinny child?

88 replies

morningpaper · 13/11/2006 19:09

My dd1 is 4 - she is skinny and off the growth and height charts (off the bottom end )

She doesn't really EAT much. We all sit down for three meals a day and she is offered what we are all having but she doesn't like most foods and basically lives on bread and water.

Should I try to "feed her up" a bit? Or should I just leave her to decide what she wants to eat?

OP posts:

iota · 13/11/2006 20:07

mash the butter in to the potato on her plate - it will melt in really easily

Original poster

morningpaper · 13/11/2006 20:08

yes Iota I will try that

OP posts:

ELF1981 · 13/11/2006 20:14

sorry, re the hot chocoalte, just a note, he puts the chocolate spread in and stirs it in and then back in the microwave until the chocolate spread has melted.

iota · 13/11/2006 20:14

then she won't eat it because it tastes different

iota · 13/11/2006 20:15

x post - sorry didn't mean you elf

Original poster

morningpaper · 13/11/2006 20:15

that's possible

OP posts:

Starrmum · 13/11/2006 21:50

What about eggs? Pasta?

Definitely you should be giving whole milk and certainly I would suggest putting butter in the mash - tough if DH can't be arsed to wash up two pans. You're either worried about her or not!!!

expatinscotland · 13/11/2006 21:55

My daughter is also skinny.

All attempts to feed her up meet w/limited success b/c she has a small appetite most of the time.

Just like DH and me.

When she's hungry, she eats or tells you she wants to eat, so we've let nature be out guide, as we want her to have a good relationship w/food.

HappyMumof2 · 13/11/2006 22:04

Message withdrawn

Reece · 13/11/2006 23:02

DS1 (3yrs) is as thin as a rake.
So glad Ive found this thread.
Ds eats well at breakfast (cereal and toast) and has small packed lunch at playschool (sandwich or cheese&crackers, rice crackers). I will give him a mid-afternoon snack of toast or cheese, yogurt,etc.
Tea time is a nightmare though. He consistently refuses to eat more than 1 teaspoonful of anything!
HV is coming tomorrow. I know she is going to leave me worrying all over again.
Last time she tolds me to fatten him up with scones, bread,pastries etc.
He doesn't eat any fruit or veg (unless blended to a pulp and hidden)and tried vitamins today. He spat them out.

Skribble · 13/11/2006 23:08

Good old fashion wholesome food, kids don't need low fat or semi skimmed!

My kids are picky I suppose but I give them plenty of what they like as they are skinny enough, so plenty pasta, quality sausages, meat, rice etc and as much broccli and carrots as I can.

DS has 3 bowls of cereal for breakfast he would be transparent otherwise.

somethingunderthebedisdrooling · 13/11/2006 23:10

try giving her B-complex. it 'opens up' the appetite. i remember being 'fattened up' on more than one occasion growing up and remained a skinny rake.

Enid · 14/11/2006 10:05

yes agree about the pans! mp put butter in that mash! (you can always make it and freeze her portions) She needs more fruit and veg - this should make her healthier which will in turn spike her appetite.

does she do plenty of exercise - she needs to esp if she is not drinking much milk - good for her bones

Reece · 16/11/2006 13:59

HV came and went. She was great and didn't seem concerned over DS1 being skinny at all. Just told me not to make eating an issue or things would be worse. She seemed happy with what he was 'putting away'

TLV · 16/11/2006 14:29

my dd is slender however she is only 16mths, i have a booklet from the hospital for slow growth in children and it says to offer deserts (full fat) even if they don't eat much tea/dinner, try adding double cream to things like yoghurt or chocolate mousse, try giving things like doughnuts (teeth will be fine honest as long as she brushes regularly) cheese on toast is another alternative, fishfingers but do a cheese sauce to put over, jacket potato with butter

Act not worried (even tho you are) let her eat whats there in front of her even if its not much, my dd discovered yorkshire puds covered with gravy and now can't get even of them, she see the dietician in december and I'm apprehensive about getting her weighed

themildmanneredjanitor · 16/11/2006 14:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsBojangles · 16/11/2006 14:43

morningpaper haven't had time to read the other posts but here are my 2pence

dd has always been on the small side so much so that we spent the 1st year of her life with paediatricians etc.

She's 5 in December and barely makes it onto the charts. When she stretches she's a skeleton as you can see every single bone! She's 105cm tall and weighs about 13kg!

I tried 'feeding her up' but last year I 'gave up' because I think she was using food, or rather not eating what I put in front of her, as a tool to annoy mama iykwim. Now if she doesn't want to eat I just take it away without comment. If she gets hungry she will ask for food.

She's a grazer and won't eat much in one go but since I've stopped worrying she's started eating much better.

Also a healthy child will not starve. So if you are sure that your dd has no health issues, and she's lively and alert, try and 'let it go'.... easier said than done, but trust me... she'll be happy to be slim soon enough .

sandyballs · 16/11/2006 14:48

I understand your worry as it's horrible to see them so skinny but as long as she's healthy I wouldn't worry to much, try not to make an issue of it, as others have said.

My DD is also very skinny (but very tall for her age). She only needs to miss a couple of meals to look emaciated. If only her mum were like that!

themildmanneredjanitor · 16/11/2006 15:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Reece · 16/11/2006 16:30

MrsBoJangles - My DS is just like your DD! More of a grazer eating small potions of bits and bobs all day long.

I like the other comment that was made about offering dessert even if they don't eat much of their tea. Its interesting as everyone/everything I have read has always advised that if they don't eat ALL of their tea there is NO dessert. I have to say that I never felt comfortable with this and as long as my DS eats enough to satisfy me he will get dessert.

iota · 16/11/2006 17:43

I'm afraid that I don't entirely agree with the "letting them eat when they're hungry, they won't starve approach"
IME the less you eat, the less you want, as your stomach shrinks.

My ds1 will go all all day without food if he doesn't want to eat what's on offer ( usually at friends' houses)

I tend to pander to his tastes to ensure that he getrs a reasonably healthy, well-balanced diet.

Skribble · 16/11/2006 19:34

I agree to allow desserts etc if there has been an attempt to eat something. Be very very careful not to transfer your worries to the child. Tense upset children will not eat more. I try to keep meal times a cosy freindly time where we can share stories and news.

DD is not eating much at mealtimes at the moment, but perhaps that is because I am trying to get her to eat more of the dreaded "bits". We eat a lot of pasta and cheese so I am not too worried, we don't actualy eat a lot of desserts but DD likes chocolate mouse so perhaps I will get more of them in.

twickersmum · 16/11/2006 19:46

if she likes mash, have you tried doing sweet potato? sweet potato, cheese & beans is DD1 all time favourite meal.

what about letting her make a pizza? that usually works well for mine... you can buy the bases, then let them put different toppings on in the shape of a face.

i add butter to everything - it does fatten them up! it's good she likes mash & cheese, you can put all sorts into it.

you can make muffins with courgette, carrot, raisins in - serve them with ice cream and definitely make smoothies with full fat milk, fruit, ice cream - add a spoon of nesquik to sweeten and colour it if you need to make it more tasty.

Original poster

morningpaper · 16/11/2006 19:48

Well I have bought some cows milk and we have started an extra meal - supper in bed if she has behaved nicely at the dinner table! She's had a glass of hot chocolate with a digestive and cheese. I'm pleased that she's getting a bit more food and she seems to really enjoy it.

OP posts:

Original poster

morningpaper · 16/11/2006 19:51

twickersmum she is very sensitive to taste. Doesn't like the TASTE of fruit - even something with a touch of fruit flavour or smell and she will gag. She doesn't eat cakes except plain scones occasionally... She also won't mix foods - e.g. cheese and potato.

I always feel like I'm making excuses! These ARE really good suggestions - it's just that she seems really sensitive to tastes.

OP posts:

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