20months old barely eats solid foods

[sofiy]

My little boy who has just turned 20 months old and he barely eats solids.he eats porridge,juice,milk,fruits like oranges and grapes except than that he doesn't eat any other solids at all. If I try he vomits or doesn't touch the food at all and run away.

I have tried offering him different kinds of food but he is not willing to. I have been trying since he was 7-8 months old.I told my gp,health visitor and tried to follow there advice but nothings working out and I am worried for his growth.hes 10kg only.

Ten kilos puts him on the 25th centile for weight. Do you know which centile he was born on?

Is he having milk overnight at the moment and if he is, have you tried some gentle night weaning?

He was 2.96 kg at birth.

So that looks as though he's following his weight centile nicely from birth?

You've mentioned on your other thread that you are worried about him losing more weight? Is he actually losing weight? If so, that's pretty serious and the Doctor should take it seriously.

Is it just a case though that you've got a boy who is on the slimmer side but is gaining weight and is following his weight centile from birth?

Sorry my English is very basic and might have confuse you 😅he's not loosing weight but I am worried he might loose weight so I am just feeding him porridge twice.

He's following his birth centile and also in slimmer side and that's okay but only concern is about nutrition and he's been eating porridge only so he's not getting vitamins like protein etc 😌

Any suggestions please .!

Presumably his diet is mostly milk at this point. My oldest had nothing but milk, along with petit filous and the odd biscuit until he was 25 months! He’s now 6ft and 22!

he WILL eat when he’s ready. Keep offering food, as long as he’s happy and healthy it should be fine. If he’s tired and sickly I’d see the gp

Happy to know that...I am 24 and 5.1 and also my baby's not eating properly and I was worried if he might be as same height as me 😂

I know how worry it can be, my DD was very fussy with food.

My suggestions are:

Stop the milk overnight

Sit him down at mealtimes when you both eat.

Give him small portions, you can always give him more if he wants it.

Always put something in his plate you know he will eat, even if it's a few halved grapes.

Don't offer alternatives, if he doesn't eat, just assume he's not hungry.

Try and get hold of a copy of My Child Won't Eat!

And have a look at this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust. It suggests menus, gives guidance in portion sizes and I think it might have some advice for dealing with fussy eaters too.

Try and relax though too @sofiy. He is eating and he is following his weight centile. He will definitely be picking up on any anxiety you have about him not eating what you want him to eat

Feel like I could have written this my DD is 19 months barely eats childcare is concerned about her gags a lot and drinks lots of milk etc …. She’s 9kgs … but no one can help as she is increasing in percentile compared to her birth weight… I have no advice just solidarity that it is so stressful 😣… hopefully it will pass and our children will flourish soon

Thank you so much cady❤️.you have been very helpful I was so worried and no one to talk about this things.

Hope our children's can do better with time .

You’ve had some good suggestions, but I would just add that if he eats porridge, maybe you could add peanut butter and mashed banana to it to add some calories and protein..

but as long as he is following his centile line and seems well and energetic, I wouldn’t worry too much! One of my DC didn’t really eat much until he turned 2. He’s 8 now and loves his food.

Ok so you haven't mentioned height before. Do you know what length he was when he was born?

Could you take him to the HV's weigh in clinic and ask them to weigh and measure him?

If you've got a Red book, get them to plot his weight and height in there.

I'm slightly shorter than you and my DS was fussy at that age too and has managed to reach 5' 9", which isn't the tallest but neither me nor his Dad are tall

That's such a lovely thing to say. I'm glad I've managed to help you

He's around 81cm we measured it when he was 19months old ..one month before

@PivotPivotmakingmargaritas what do you feed your child.!

@lovehatelovehate I would definitely try that today thank you 🙏

Sorry to bother you all I have been replying within a second of getting reply as I am so worried.thank you everyone for suggestions

I'd look at relaxing the pressure to eat by giving food as messy play as often they lick fingers and start tasting things.
A bowl of rice with pots and scoops...obviously bear in mind food safety so fresh rice. If that goes well add bits of colour he might pick out or look at mixing a sauce or puree in.
Pureed veg or fruit sachet to finger mark in you have to model the idea and get stuck in yourself relax and laugh it's not about encouraging any tasting as that adds pressure it should happen as he gets more used to it.
Don't be sat with wipes dirty is good.

From this growth chart I think that puts him roughly on the 50th centile for height? Meaning that in a group of 100 boys his age, he'd be right in the middle for height.

At 5' 1" I'd take that as a really good height personally

@jannier I will try that too.he might like it hopefully.

@CadyEastman normally what's the other children height in my son's age.?

Have a look at the growth chart I linked to. I think it puts your DS right in the middle for height but if you go to the HV's weigh in clinic, you can get them to weigh and measure him and see if he's following his height centile.

@CadyEastman okay will do that 🙏

On a good day weetbix, chicken nuggets, avocado on toast, yogurt, custard etc etc on a bad day … it feels like air and milk only. Like you my DD’s height is a concern too she is estimated to be 4”10 I’m 5”2 and so is her dad

Seen a paediatrician and she says all looks ok she will just be short… I just wish she would eat more it’s so frustrating and I’m wasting so much food