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How to get 5 year old to eat more

6 replies

AliveAndSleeping · 06/12/2021 21:46

She's on the 2nd centile for weight and the 15th or so for height though she was born on the 75th. She's been seen several times by a pediatrician but they can't find anything wrong. I worry because she doesn't have as much stamina as other kids and it's starting to knock her confidence. Both the lack of stamina (and not being able to keep up with other kids physically) and always being the smallest. She keeps getting told that she's tiny by her classmates (and some adults) and it's starting to get to her. Doesn't help that she's the youngest in her class as well.

She just doesn't like to eat. She never seems hungry. She isn't super fussy but her portions are tiny. She's also a very slow eater. She just wants to talk or dream away. There are a few things that she seems to like but she doesn't have much of them either. Even chocolate she refuses most of the time (unlike her mumHmm) though she does like it.

We've tried everything. No pressure approach, bribery, getting her involved in food prep, playing games over dinner and setting a timer. At school she eats even less.

I'm getting desperate but I don't know what to do. All her clothes are too loose (and short) for her. Any ideas?

(She likes healthy food like vegetables and fruits but it's difficult to get enough calories into her. I add fat (olive oil or butter) to her food and am trying to increase her protein intake. She has a bottle of pediasure every day as well).

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Fantail86 · 09/12/2021 06:57

Could you try adding a smoothie to her day, could mix banana, coconut cream, peanut butter and fruits that she likes? Lots of calories. Perhaps put it in a special cup?

tarheelbaby · 09/12/2021 07:07

Hmmm. a tricky one. I have known only children who used meal times as a power struggle - the more the parents tried to encourage them to eat, the more they resisted. So although it's natural to encourage her, maybe try to resist.

Can you point out that if she wants to grow and have energy, she needs to eat? I know many children younger than 5 who have grasped the logic of this and started eating to beat the band so that they can be bigger, faster, stronger.

Does she like the pediasure drink? How many calories is that? Is it filling her up when she could be eating proper food?

All that said, my older child seemed not to eat much but, in fact, she was eating the right amount for her so I had to adjust my expectations.

JuneOsborne · 09/12/2021 07:21

I'd just up the calorie value of everything she does eat, so the actual eating isn't a battle.

Lots of cheese, butter, full fat milks, cream and yoghurts.

Is there anything she just loves to eat?

Even increasing by a couple of mouthfuls each day will help. Does she have buttery toast? How does she feel about peanut butter?

Could you make a batch of cookies, or cakes with her at the weekends? Or make your own icecreams with all the toppings? Not for every day, just sometimes?

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Morechocmorechoc · 09/12/2021 07:44

Small food all day. When she is home leave Snacks out. You said she likes healthy things, try cuxumber and carrot sticks dunked in nut butter or seed butters like almonds or sunflower. Meridian make good ones. Diary lea sandwich in protein bagel. Smoothies with ice cream banana and rice protein powder from Holland and barratt. Oven food a couple of meals a week. Sausages. If her appetite is small though you will need to move to say 5 meals when home not 3.

felulageller · 09/12/2021 08:08

We have this issue. If your DC is borderline underweight as ours is ignore advice that only applies to average/ over weight DC's.

Ours eats so little we have to focus on high calorie food- so not what you would expect to give a DC!

Literally think of what dieters should avoid- full fat dairy, pastries, pies, cream sauces rather than tomato, fry Vs grill, roast veg in oil rather than boil, fattier cuts of meat (eg chicken legs with skin rather than skinless breasts), butter/ mayo rather than low fat spreads, thick layer of butter on bread, cheese as snacks, lots of nuts- coconut, peanut butter, coated nuts, heavy puddings rather than jelly desserts, custard, ice cream, cheese or egg in sandwiches rather than chicken/ ham.

It is really hard work!

AppleT · 09/12/2021 09:43

Have u looked into:

Picky Eating and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) ?

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