Is there a sort of equivalent of sleep consultant but for food?

[Needfoodsupport]

I’ve been concerned about DS eating for a while and just lately I’ve gone from concern to very worried.

Probably a daft question but is there anywhere I can go for expert support or advice?

@Perfect28 i did say I was being a bit facetious but that was with a lot, and I mean a lot, of persuasion. With no encouragement he wouldn’t eat, honestly.

I have tried most of the standard advice which has made no difference. Even the ‘picnic’ makes no difference. I am worried as it’s getting worse.

He doesn’t drink juice. He has a drink of milk before bed.

We were under the paediatrician for exactly this, so you need to go to the gp really. Ds not fussy but not interested in food at all, got very slim. You need professional support as they will help you understand what calories are needed and how to get them into him. It can be a long slow process. We offered food little and often, school supported us and by age 12 we turned a corner and now he eats normally.

He won't starve himself, we have survival instincts. Take all pressure off. Eat with him and just try and relax

Yes @Perfect28 that is the standard advice I know and a year and a half later I have tried that.

We really do need help with this as yes actually I think he would starve himself over a period of time.

You need gp and paediatrician referral. this is not “super nanny” style consultant territory.

I don’t know @SnarkyBag - the problem is the advice from above is likely to be similar as to what is offered by GP (and being honest here it’s very difficult to even get help for anything serious - I doubt the GP would listen really.)

I think we need to go back to basics because weaning didn’t go well and we’ve just always had problems with eating. I could do with some support with this and the standard advice really hasn’t worked in this case.

I would go speak to your GP. If he is really eating so little and weighing a lot less than he should, there may be a medical reason for that. Not to scare you, but he needs screening for medical issues not some kind of parenting coaching. If it is really that extreme then it sounds like a medical issue, or something psychologically, which is beyond the realms of supernanny type, and actually somebody like that might make things worse not better

I say GP, but for screening tests. Diabetes 1, thyroid, vitamin levels, then on to the paediatrician if you don't get any answers there

But without eliminating any possible physical underlying problems you may find the rest of the advice and support ineffective anyway.

I work with children with eating issues as part of my job I wouldn’t even start to offer advice at this point to you without the potential other underlying difficulties being looked into first.

You seem rather fixed on the idea of some sort of super nanny home consultant and I don’t really understand the reluctance to push for appropriate professional assessment via the GP so I’ll leave it here as I admit I find your responses on this thread quite frustrating.

The insistence that your child would choose to deliberately starve themselves, the fact he eats well away from you, as well as your reluctance to seek proper professional help suggests to me that the issue here is you. Can you hold up an honest mirror and reflect?

I think that’s what most parent think @Perfect28 and it is possibly true but whether it is or it isn’t the result is still the same. I’m honestly just asking if anyone here knows of anyone who can provide the sort of support I want - fair enough if it isn’t a thing but I can’t see us getting anywhere with the GP to be honest.

Yes, check out SR Nutrition.

Are there patterns in what he will or will not eat? Textures, temperatures, colours, food types?

Also to the people who are saying a child would not starve themselves, a child with ARFID would. Many are hospitalised with malnutrition-type issues.

Whether it’s behavioural, physical or psychiatric however, a paediatrician is the place to start. They’ll delve into developmental, environmental and physical factors and make a support or treatment plan.

The only pattern is that he eats at nursery and not home which is why I’m inclined not to think it’s a physical issue or problem. I can contact the GP but I think once I explain the above they will go back to the sitting together, no pressure at mealtimes sort of advice which unfortunately hasn’t worked yet.

As I have said if this isn’t a thing that’s fair enough - but no harm in asking

The problem you've described is exactly the sort of thing you should go to your health visitor or GP about. Depending on the rules in your area one of them would be able to make a dietician referral for you. Where I live the GP does the referrals, but I know in other areas it's the HV.

Have you tried messy food play?

www.leicspart.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Messy-Food-Play.pdf

I really don't understand why you don't see a gp rather than just assume. What if it was something medical, wouldn't you feel awful? Don't you feel a responsibility to check?

HV advice is the standard.

GP recommends HV

These sorts of replies make me wonder if there are huge regional variations with what GPs provide. Ours certainly doesn’t make referrals routinely - and the waiting lists are very long in any case. I think it’s a combination of weaning not having gone very well and also with just not finding food interesting - would rather play.

Starving yourself is a long long process - my main worry is that the lack of nutrition will affect his growth and development. He ate nothing last Sunday - I mean literally, nothing.

I again echo what others have said and having been through it, the support you need is available through the NHS. You just have to push for it, keep food diaries etc. they will as part of it, look at underlying causes. I found their help and support amazing and we were able to get special drinks prescribed.

I have contacted the GP @Perfect28

Your input on this thread is coming across as someone who wants to be critical of me rather than support. I anticipated this which is why my initial query was about what support might be available rather than asking advice on here.

DS food diary would probably look OK though because of nursery.

At any rate the thread is becoming circular and at that point it’s rarely helpful to anyone so I do appreciate the responses and will step away now.

A dietician!

Lieinrwquirwd has covered the most important point which is (and it’s hard) to take all insistence or stress out of any food related interactions. You serve, share and clear without any comment or focus on the eating. No bribery, no insistence, no one more mouthful. Don’t allow to fill up on fluid and don’t over provide sweet treats. Do offer healthy ish food and aim for lots of shares meals. Essentially this os about long term not short term.

Ok well thats the first time you've said you have already sought gp support so forgive me. Hope it gets resolved

You can pay to see a GP or paediatrician privately. I'm sure you can also pay to see a dietitian privately. If the NHS isn't working for you then that's the route to take, but he clearly needs to see a medical professional and not a parenting coach.