5 year old fear of solid foods

[Harryy]

My 5 year boy doesn’t eat any solid foods he will only eat anything that doesn’t have lumps/bits in. Anything I’m able to blend up. He used to drink loads off milk which i have had to cut down to 2 bottles there is no medical reason why he can’t eat a proper meal.

We have got back from the dietitian and have been advices to try and introduction some solids foods again at meal times before he’s allowed to have his “normal” food. He doesn’t have to eat it yet he’s just got to tolerate it being in front off him. If he starts gagging/retching I’ve got to tell him no, stop, we don’t do that ect. If he’s sick I’ve still got to carry on and just ignore him. I honestly don’t think I can go through this again specially now I’m doing this alone and I think it’s to harsh that I’ve just got to let him make hisself sick. The last time we had to did this he didn’t eat anything for a while just had bottles off milk.

If he will eat mashed potato, could you start introducing different foods (carrots etc) with the mash to begin with to include different flavours, then start to blend a bit more texture in as you get on - a bit of flaked white fish, mashed broccoli or anything else that will give some different flavour & texture, a little bit at a time.
It could very well be a sensory issue, so blending foods that look similar to mash could help with flavours, or carrots for a different colour - just a step at a time.

Alltea, you might need to upload those photos elsewhere and send a link, or get op to send his email address in a pm so you can send direct. MN tends to make photos too small to read.

rhanks bertie, I do think thwre is a link to that exacy info as it happened to be a leaflet i had to hand, but Im sure most o line resources would give the same advice. I'll see if I can PM it.

Having read your updates I definitely think the current advice you are getting from the dietician is all wrong. Your son has been through a big trauma and has a lot going on. Telling him off really won’t help, it will make things worse. There’s a lot of good advice already here but just on the nutrition side of things if you are worried about his weight etc there are special shakes for children to drink if they don’t eat much and need building up. I looked into them when my dd wouldn’t eat, I think you can buy them in Boots or have them prescribed. There is a good vitamin supplement by Vitabotics called Wellkid that comes in liquid form for 4-12 years. I use it as my dd won’t have chewable vitamins.

Also if he will eat purées then at least u can get fruit and vegetables into him hopefully? Have you tried Ready Brek rather than normal porridge? It’s much smoother.

Sorry if his has been posted before (haven't managed to read all replies( but are you offering him his normal "safe food" alongside new foods?
Make sure you do this to enable him to have some control over what he eats. He may not touch any new foods and that is ok- do not talk about new foods or put on any pressure for him to eat them. It's just about slowly introducing the idea of different food types safely.

Advice generally states that you should not praise or criticise how he is choosing to eat. Just enable him to make his own decision. It might take a long time for him to try something new.

Thank you for all the advice! I have sat down and read them all today.

He has his own food with other food he won't touch. I didn't do this today as he didn't eat anything yesterday. I stuck to the 2 bottles at night which he screamed the house down for more.

He had 3 yoghurts for breakfast, wouldn't touch anything at school he was offered his normal. Dinner time was the worse tonight he had what he would normally eat but just screamed till he was sick. He wanted just yoghurts for dinner which I said he needs to eat what's in his bowl first.

I'm trying to not give into him with just milk and yoghurts

Pick your battles. Is this the only area of concern?

Our son has only recently started to eat any fruit - at age 9.

Have you looked at the Mealtime hostage fb page?

A dietician told you to tell him off for gagging on his food?

That advice is appalling and completely wrong.

He has textural issues, and he genuinely can't help gagging. What kind of emotional damage will it do if you have a go at him for something he can't control?

Sorry I haven't looked at the fb page I don't have fb anymore I will look at it though someone else Facebook.

It's taken a while to also get him out off nappies as poo aren't how should it put it "solid" although he's now in underwear full time he still has many accidents with poo.

The fb group is closed so they will need to request to be added. It is honestly so supportive and full of parents going through similar issues. Lots of great advice too.

How's it going Harryyy, any progress? I think you will have to make such minute steps to change things that you will feel like you're not making progress at all until you can look back over a couple of weeks and realise that he can now tolerate food nearby or is drinking a mouthful from a cup or whatever you focus on.
Good luck

@user1494670108 a little bit better he's doing well with food being in front off him and not being sick so it's a start. Not so stressful at meal times

Please, please listen to the posters who mentioned ARFID. Please join us on FB at Mealtime Hostage, you will I’ll find a lot of parents who have been through similar, practical advice and no judgement.

There are a lot of useful fact sheets on Mealtime Hostage but you can also google directly, search for Direction of Responsibility - it will change the way you think about meal times. Food chaining may also be helpful.

Ditch the dietitian for someone who actually knows what they are talking about. Has anyone mentioned Pediasure? It seems ideal for your DS’s situation.

Given what has happened in his short life has anyone mentioned counseling or psychotherapy? Anxiety and stress can manifest themselves in an effort to control food, so he may need a support from different professionals.

@Booboostwo

Thank you I don't have fb and we have tried pediasure shakes but he won't touch them

Is this the group? Just makes a account I'd see if they'd let me join

Yes that's the group.
Also as pp said google Division of Responsibility

www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/how-to-feed/the-division-of-responsibility-in-feeding/

@crashbangwhoosh thank you have joined and posted. I will read through that link now