Daughter hasn't eaten a bite in 3 days

[Helpmeout124]

I'm seriously concerned for my daughter she's 3 and can't really speak so can't tell me what's going on. Trying to keep a long story short. Last Tuesday she came home from nursery with a roaring temperature. I took her to the urgent care center and they said it was viral and to just make sure she's drinking (which she is) and keep her topped up with calpol, which I've been doing. She slowly got better and now physically she's absolutely fine. Running around laughing and playing but she hasn't eaten since Friday. I'm talking nothing. She screams and cries if I sit her at the table. I gave in and gave her a chocolate waffle on the sofa just now. In some sort if desperate attempt to get something in. But I caught her putting it down the back of the couch. I'm at a loss.

she hasn't poo'ed since Saturday morning so now I'm wondering if constipation is the issue? Could that be it? She's blocked up so dosnt want to eat? My other child has jabs at 3 so I'm gonna take her back down to be seen again afterwards. The worry of putting a child to bed at night who has eaten nothing all day 😢 she's also now got a white coating on her tongue.

I should say, we're giving her smoothies, milk, and she drank some fresh orange this morning. Plus plenty of water.

I know this will likely say as long as she's drinking she will be fine but surely she has to eat?

She is 'eating' as there are calories in the smoothies, milk and juice, so I wouldn't be panicked but it's worth asking the GP as you're concerned and she's not able to tell you.

I'd stop trying to persuade her and just leave things she likes available, see if anything changes.

Just to share my experience, my daughter stopped eating food after a bout of tonsillitis. She was nearly one. She would only drink milk. It went on for about a year and I had her to the dietician at the hospital and all sorts. He just said to carry on giving her milk and offering food.

It's only been a couple of days and she's drinking including calorific drinks. It would be very normal for her just to not have her appetite back yet.

She’ll be perfectly ok with the liquids. Our 3 year old grandson always goes off food before and after coming down with viruses and it can take a good week for the appetite to return. Little ones are far better at regulating what they need than adults are. That she’s happy and lively is the important thing.

She's absolutely fine, if she had covid she could've lost her smell/ taste which will interfere with her appetite. She's having food via smoothies though so don't worry.

Mine did this once, Cadburys buttons did the trick.

Good shout, I'm going to stop by McDonald's on the way home from my little ones jabs and see if I can tempt her with a happy meal 😄

I wonder if she’s avoiding solids because she has a sore throat or something but doesn’t have the words to describe it?

Have a look in her mouth for blisters. Hand foot and mouth causes these. My dd would only have water and lollies

I should say, we're giving her smoothies, milk, and she drank some fresh orange this morning. Plus plenty of water

this will be plenty of calories so maybe she’s just not hungry?

Could the white coating on her tongue be thrush and that's making her not want to eat? I had it once and it wasn't painful but made me feel like there was constantly something in my throat so eating was uncomfortable.

10 days tends to sort most minor ailments and injuries so I'd keep an eye on her and if she is otherwise well with good energy I would back off a little for a few more days, try to tempt her but not make a big fuss about it with her favourite foods and then give her smoothies, homemade ice lollies made with fruit juice with fruit in them, yoghurt, soup, frozen berries that have started to thaw but are still cold etc will all get calories in her.

If you have a young baby which it sounds like you do are you breastfeeding? You could try that, either direct or expressed.

Yes that was my first thought too.

When I took her to the doctors on the first day the doctor said her throat was red but wasn't tonsillitis (yet) it wasn't untill 3 days after that she stopped eating

My dd did this after tonsillitis. Semolina, porridge and ice cream were all she ate for a week.

Could you try ice-cream? I think she'll be fine given what she's drinking but after tonsillitis mine used to find ice cream appetising

I took her to McDonald's

fries ❌
ice-cream ❌
milkshake, she had a tiny bit