my 3 yr old looks really tired and run down...

[Toowittoowoo]

...and I'm not sure what to do about it.

DD1 is looking awful at the moment. She has a runny nose all the time, bag under her eyes and her excema has flared up. I would loved to give her some early night and some lie ins, some quiet days at home and plenty of water and healthy food - she on the other hand has different ideas.

She goes to sleep at 7pm and although I have tried to bring it forward to 6.30am never seems to work. She wakes at 6am or 6.30am every day and will not ever sleep in the day. I try to give her a day at home but she plays up for the whole day and it is really stressful. Water was becoming a major battleground between us so I've had to stop nagging her about it (like most 3 year old - the more I nag the less she will do it). Healthy diet is not okay - she is not fussy so I can feed her what I think is best but she doesn't eat very much of it.

anyone got any ideas? I hate seeing her looking so tired all the time.

Sorry your dd is looking so unwell.

Have you been to the GP with her to rule out anything medical?

Does she have cream for her eczema? Mine drives me absolutely mad sometimes and I can actually scratch until it bleeds in my sleep.

Her sleep sounds ok to me.

You say she isn't keen on water? Is she drinking enough of something else? Milk? Weak juice? I know juice isn't ideal but might be better than her not drinking enough. Or flavoured water?

Days at home - I see what you are trying to do here but maybe some fresh air each day would help? Even just a walk to the shops or down the street and back?

As for her food - you say she isn't eating much? Is there anything she will happily eat a lot of? Can she have these things alongside healthy options? If she doesn't eat much it probably won't help her.

Good luck - I hope she is better soon x

Normally I would say her sleep is okay too but she really looks like she need to catch up a little bit. DD2 is 7 weeks old and DD1 was waking in the night quite a bit in first few weeks of DD2 being home and it doesn't look like she has caught up on her rest since.

I went to see the health visitor last week with DD2 and when she asked how DD1 was getting on I explained that was a bit worried because she seemed tired and run down but the HV just said they were the same this time of year. She has Dr's appointment for something unrelated next so I will ask DH to bring it up.

DH thinks I am overreacting and that i was worried about exactly the same this time last year! I vaguely remember but I wish there was something I could do. This year is obviously worse because of the stress of DD2 coming along.

sounds normal to me, my 4yo is a bit pale atm, I think fighting a cold.
but you know your dc best. if this is not normal for her, take her to the gp.

btw, when dc is like that, I give a chewy multivitamin for a few days and make sure they spend some time outside everyday.

Sorry - posted too soon!

I think she gets enough red meat. I make sure that I feed her something with beef mince in it once a week as she likes mince and she always has fish once a week.

Not sure what to about the water. She has been really good in the past so i am reluctant to give her juice. Unfortunately i think i nagged her too much about drinking water and I've made it into a 'thing' between us.
Silly me!

Vitamins are an idea but I wish I could just get her to rest but 3 yr olds never stop moving do there - however tired!

Can she breathe through her nose alright when she doesn't have a cold? Does she snore?

I ask only because my son always looked terrible, dark circles, congested face, snored terribly, ate very little, very skinny etc. until he had his adenoids out and suddenly he looked like a different child!

First instinct - it sounds like a food intolerance.

I'd personally try removing dairy for 2 weeks and see what happens. If no change, I'd remove wheat & dairy for 2 weeks.

And come back and tell us….

don't cut out whole food groups before going to the gp. that needs careful nutritional advice for a growing child.

mousmous - true but GPs generally have no nutritional training.
2-4 weeks off dairy is not going to cause a problem and will give the GP valuable information. wheat is not a vital food group and in fact a ton of people are hugely intolerant to dairy (or just cows but fine on goats, sheep or buffalo) and wheat. It is perfectly possible to eat well and healthily without consuming those and if they are irritating and causing problems, then one is better off without them.
DS has been off both of those food groups since he was 15 months old and is thriving.

TBH if you have a seven week old it is probably that! Massive upheaval for a 3 yr old. Great in the long run of course but she isn't to know that. I would try to spend some time alone with her if it's possible. Maybe she is worrying about the new order of things.

I was going to say food intolerance too Telephone, coeliac or similar produce those type of symptoms, but then so do a lot of medical conditions.

It's the runny nose that's the main reason for me thinking of food intolerances and then of course the bags under eyes etc. The GP is very likely to say 7 wk old sibling (which is possible but more unlikely than likely I think) or a virus (again possible but usually little ones have a bigger more acute response. A little experiment on your part will go a long way….

Quick idea for the water... Have you tried adding ice cubes? And/or a straw? Both work miracles for DS finishing his whole cup full!

Other than that I agree on discussing with your gp.

My dd (nearly 3) is looking similar at the moment too. Since christmas really we have had her napping again in the afternoons twice last week and the week before. Only difference really is dd will eat all day if she could. My mum said it's the time of the year but she has also been fighting off a cold which today seems to be back. She just looks exhausted at the moment.

Best thing I can do to get dd to drink is a new cup, she then wants it constantly but works well.