my son won't eat

[noddyholder]

My ds aged 11 just has no real desire to eat I have tried everything to no avail He isn't ill but is quite small and skinny Today for the umpteenth time he threw his lunch in the bin but I have found out after he promised he wouldn't again He never gets excited about food or very rarely but would eat crap like sausages every day if I would let him I am beginning to think I should give him junk just to fatten hom up that is how desperate i am to get the calories into him How can I stimulate his appetite?

noddy my daughter is much the same and she is 10, I cook something and then few mouthfuls in its 'I'm full up now mum' or 'my tummy hurts' (dont think its my cooking, hope not!) she's always been finicky and is super thin accentuated by her tallness I do worry a little but I was the same also when I was younger.

What I do with her now is not make a big fuss about it and let her leave what she doesn't want for fear of causing some psychological problem with food as I was force fed by my stepfather when I was younger and that made me a little funny with food (fine now) it seems to work as then she starts to eat a bit later on and I do allow her to snack on chocolate puddings/cereal which is only thing she eats to get the calories on!

I feel that she may well grow out of it as I eventually did.

thanks for your reply i have really run out of ideas and he is now in his room really upset I haven't said a word to him in 2 hrsbut I am really worried as he is so picky

I do sympathise, I make my daughter pack lunch and find the sandwhiches have been squeezed into a tight ball inside tin foil to disguise fact they have hardly been touched, 3 crisps have been eaten but chocolate cereal bars eaten! Half cheese string consumed, barely enough to keep her alive I think!

She does love cucumber though, hardly high in calories.

All I can suggest is just really try and find out exactly what he does like and just give him those only. There are a few things my daughter will eat (very few) but a few things are healthy and so I will make sure she gets those on the plate to encourage her to eat other things on plate also kind of mix em in with other stuff.

I mean you say he likes sausages whilst not healthiest option he is young so he can take it and it is good protein and high calorie to get the weight up, you could slip him vitamin/mineral supplement if he is fussy about veg/fruit. Maybe just try to get him used to 1 new thing a week?

I know its a tough 1. My only consolation is the fact that I know I was exactly the same and am now complete opposite love eating out anywhere. I really grew out of it when I reached about 15 so I'm thinking my daughter might too.

If it really is very bad then I would definitely speak to a professional maybe as I can only comment on my own experiences with my daughter.

At the moment I would talk to him and just play it down a little maybe so it doesnt become a big thing in his mind.

hope this helps

it has really helped as i felt like it was just me all his friends eat like horses

I survived on home made chips and baked beans (and bread, cheese and yoghurt sometimes)solely until I was 13. Noddy as you know I am a strapping lass - it did me no harm. I was always stick thin though until I hit my 20s. He will grow out of it. Must be a nightmare though. But don't worry - he won't starve.

thanks dhw really bad day today as he lied aswell and said his friend ate his lunch when he really threw it away which he frequently does He is now eating crispy chicken mashed potato and tinned spaghetti

.

I don't know what to suggest to be honest. My mum was totally demented by my refusal to eat. I coulnd't cope with textures and would gag if I didn't like something. Can't think of any reason for it - other than I was just a fussy bugger. And most kids are in some way at some point aren't they?!

My mum took me to the docs at about 7, so worried that I was anorexic - doc said don't fuss, kids don't starve themselves, she's tall and healthy (I was) let her eat what she likes. She'll grow out of it.

I did - at 13 I had a revelation - I just took an interest in food - I guess as you become more aware of it's social side.

I woulnd't worry about it - but that is so easy for me to say. Anyway, I tie myself up in secret knots about the fact that my 3 year old refuses to try anything new - he is surviving on cereal, marmite sarnies, apple juice, milk, yoghurts, veggie sausges, scrambled egg occasionally, chicken nuggets (this is a new thing - thank god!!!!) odd bit of apple and melon.