Food Worries

[Phlaps]

9yo Daughter, lovely, clever, kind, very active, is now hardly eating at mealtimes. It's stating the obvious that she will stuff crisps and sweet things when given the opportunity but we are now starting to get worried. We eat freshly prepared, varied whole food where possible. Snacks are limited and plenty of fruit etc available.

Food is becoming an issue and not sure how to approach it. She will take two or three tiny mouthfuls of whatever has been prepared on the end of her fork and then use every trick in the book not to eat anything else. Very wary of not making it a battleground but can't work out what is going on.

Any "beige" food when we have it gets scoffed (bread, Yorkshire puddings, chips) but then the rest gets left with repeated, overly polite "no thank yous".

We are terrified that this could be the early steps towards eating disorders - someone older and very close to us is currently suffering.

Could it be a control thing? Lockdown measures have affected her quite badly over the last school year plus there was some bullying that she was on the receiving end of, not to mention the usual playground soap operas of the typical 9year old girl.

Does anyone have any experience of similar please?

[NuffSaidSam]

It sounds like she just likes carbs and junk food like loads of kids that age. Is there anything else that makes you think it's more serious (comments about weight/appearance or unhealthy exercise etc)?

[Lushmetender]

My dd is 11 and has been like this for years. She said she’s scared of trying new things but Is becoming thin. Was watching the food phobia tv show and thinking of gwtting her some help. I don’t think it’s because she wants to be thin as my dd will eat loads of junk and not much else! Funny how they are happy to try new chocolates but not new food’

[DominicRaabsTravelAgent]

Is she on TikTok @Phlaps? It's very pro-anorexia.