Encouraging sick toddler to eat

[EnergyCreatesReality]

My 2yr old DD had a sickness bug last week and was pretty poorly. She’s doing much better but still won’t eat so has no energy. She’ll eat maybe 1 or 2 very small bites of food she normally loves then pronounces it “yuck” and refuses to eat any more. Problem is she’s waking about 3am crying that she’s hungry and I’m running out of patience. Doesn’t help that I caught the bug over the weekend so not feeling great myself and DH is away with work this week.

Any advice on what I can tempt her with gratefully received

We’ve been the same for a week or so now - a cold, followed by sickness bug, and probably teething too (18mo) means that food intake is limited. Wins here:
Scrambled egg
Porridge
Weetabix
Pasta with cream cheese and broccoli

He’s not eaten a piece of fruit or veg other than broccoli for about two weeks now, but I’m hoping the appetite comes back slowly. Back at nursery tomorrow so will see how he fares there as he usually eats more adventurously.

Smoothie. I put chopped frozen banana and milk in a blender. The frozen banana makes it like it’s been made with ice cream. Very yummy and she can drink it with a straw. Sometimes I put carrot in the food processor and add about a spoonful of the carrot to the smoothie and my dd didn’t notice. There are other smoothie recipes online with other vege combos.

Just about to say try a smoothie, easy to pop in and out of fridge. I try not worry if my wee one isn't eating much when ill if he is drinking plenty, but we haven't had the issue of waking up hungry so slightly different.

I usually just cut up some fruit and bits and leave it out so he can pick away if hungry.

She had about 3 spoonfuls of porridge for breakfast before deciding it was yuck. She’s not a fan of pasta or weetabix at the best of times but will try her with a scrambled egg as she usually likes that. I wouldn’t be so worried about the not eating if she wasn’t waking up in the middle of the night hungry

Custard
Yoghurt
Eggs
Toast
Smoothies

She'll get there, you know yourself it takes a while to get over a bug after you've been sick.

Posted before I saw the other replies. She won’t eat ice cream either - I tried that yesterday in desperation and smoothies are being turned away. I think she’s scared of being sick again and that’s why she’s refusing to eat

Maybe offer toast with peanut butter before bed if she’ll eat that. When my toddler is teething I usually have success with smoothies and soups.

Anything she fancies if it’s been a few days - lollies, ice cream, custard, rich tea biscuits, toast, boiled eggs. Yoghurt. Something fairly simple - I can’t imagine facing fruit & veg on a sensitive stomach.

Ice lollies.

To give you an idea, so far today I’ve tried her with:

Toast with peanut butter
Porridge
Rich tea biscuits shaped as animals
Quavers
Yoghurt
Crackers
Ham
Baby bel cheese
Mini milk ice cream
All she’s eaten is a couple of spoonfuls of porridge, 1 bite of ham, a bite of cheese and about 4 quavers and she’s complaining again that she’s hungry. We have been trying to phase out the bedtime bottle and she’s refusing that now too. I’ve even resorted to opening the fridge and the cupboard and letting her pick what she wants.

She hasn’t eaten a proper meal since last Wednesday. I’ve been to the doctor and they prescribed diorolyte but I had to syringe it into her as she wouldn’t drink it. She is drinking water now though.

She’s complaining again that she’s hungry which is why I think it’s more of a fear of eating rather than still feeling ill and I need her to overcome the fear (hope that makes sense).

I'd just take her to the shop and let her pick something. Mine was like this and I said they could pick anything they wanted to make them feel better. They chose lolly ices and crumpets and lived off those for a few days before it got a bit normal.

Even some cake would be better than nothing, help her to enjoy eating again.

I’ll try a quick shopping trip and see if we can get somewhere with dinner tonight

Sorry but you sound really harsh. She’s been ill, this will take time. Even if she’s waking at 3am hungry, now is not the time to run out of patience. She will get back to normal but she’s 2

Definitely vote for visit to shop let lo chose whatever they want even if something really bad!

Dirolyte does taste horrible though. Though as adults we can have lucozade weirdly my Lo loves Dirolyte 😂

Have you tried her with fruit? Grapes, berries, apple, banana, or even canned peaches or dried fruit like sultanas?

Give her a tic tac and tell her it's medicine so she can't be sick for a while. Then offer her her some toast or whatever.

It's a bit cheeky but it worked with my nephew!

When my dc were hungry it would sometimes get to the point where they don't know what they want so don't want anything.
This is what traditional 'ill person' foods are for. Try a plate with a spoon of jelly, a spoon of custard, a segment of clementine, a grape, a buttered cracker etc etc. About 8 things on the plate. IF she eats and likes it add another one of that thing. Try offering her tiny things with no pressure at hourly intervals. Once her blood sugar is back on normal levels she will get hungry of her own volition. Good luck!

My DS who is 7 had a sickness bug last week, and is barely eating either. It seemed to be a particularly nasty bug, so it's to be expected really. The thing is with little kids is if you force the issue, it is likely to do more harm than good. Best to offer food they like often, but not comment or otherwise on the non eating or "yuck" comments.

@QuestionableMouse That’s a very creative idea. But I’m a bit concerned that tic tacs might be a choking hazard for a two year old.

Ah, sorry, missed that she's only two! Spoonful of something?

My daughter (3) had a horrible sickness bug recently. She barely ate for a week and would only drink weak orange squash and eat plain pasta (few bits at a time). She’s making up for it now and wolfing down anything that gets near her!
All you can do is keep offering things she might feel like trying until she feels right again.

Can you try eating some of it so she comes to you to steal?

Taking her to the shop worked, she chose a dairylee lunchable and some melon, she ate all of the ham and half of the biscuits but refused the melon so still not a massive amount but the most she's eaten in a week. Hopefully this will break the cycle now and she hasn't woken up crying for food.

Thank you @Hungry675tf for the suggestion

Thats really good to hear OP

I would suggest doing that for the next couple days until lo is inhaling food so to speak!