AArgh! How do you feed a fussy eater who has little understanding....

[heartinthecountry]

Am at my wits end with dd's eating. She used to be quite a good varied eater but just recently is refusing loads of things she used to eat. I can probably now count on one hand the things she will eat and all of them are sweet (fruit, biscuits).

I know toddlers often do this. And I suppose developmentally she is prob hitting 18 months. But my worry with dd is that it won't be a phase and she will just completely limit her own diet forever.

So what do I do? What techniques can I use? If any? Bearing in mind that she has no concept of bribery (e.g if you eat a mouthful of this you can have this) or consequences. And also rarely shows any hunger because of her medication.... so I don't think 'eat this or you get nothing' type approaches are going to work (also she is a bit underweight anyway).

Or do I just accept it? Find that very hard to do though - feel terrible guilt that I am unable to feed my daughter a healthy diet. Especially when it would probably help her development.

Ds2 is around the same age as your dd and also has off days. I know for sure he doesn't like eggs so don't even bother with those.

He does prefer slightly spicier food to plain food, whereas ds1 loves plain boiled vegetables and pasta.

But it's still a pain feeding him, only thing I can suggest is keep offering healthy stuff. If ds2 doesn't eat a meal then I'll offer yogurt, banana or extra milk or make pancakes.

I think variety is the key.

The supplement I am giving dd for candida is called Liquid Biocidin (grapefruit extract) - 2 drops per day. It seems to work, can find out where from/price if anyone is interested. Would definitely recommend a private consultation with a nutritionist if possible/affordable, as they may pick up on something the NHS just don't have time or inclination to think of. I wish I'd gone years ago.

NUtrilink nutritionists are very good (but pricey). KNow their stuff.

hello Caroline, how was the holiday?

Caroline- I'd be interested in that (can't get the saccromyces into ds1 now- wised up t it after a year) A drop I could put in orange juice would be great.

Hi fio, it was good, although the effects are already wearing off! The sea air made everyone sleep well and eat well too (diet now needed for me!) How are things with you (thanks for email by the way)?

I am sure you dont need to diet caroline everything is fine except i am tired and narky as usual

jimjams, it is from Biocare and is £8.25 for a 15ml bottle - lasts quite a long time at only 2 drops per day! She is also taking some trace minerals, think her skin and nails have improved a bit, eczema has cleared up a lot (although I have cut out cow's cheese, which causes flare ups).

fio, join the club with tired and narky

Thanks Caroline- I know where I can get Biocare stuff from (it's good stuff as well- used to give ds1 the B vitamins until I switched to multivitamins).

and they do loads of liquid stuff which is much easier.

and mail order!

Hi Caroline Glad the holiday was good.

HITC I have the same worry with my dd, she guzzles Pediasure (fortunately), but positively gags at anything else I offer her. She's started to chunder at will to express her annoyance at being offered certain foods, like pureed veg - aaargghhh.

Do you have access to a SALT (hahaha I hear you laugh) who might be able to come up with some ideas to help?

Blimey - thanks everyone - wasn't expecting to see so many posts! Some good tips.

Jimjams - you are right - no way dd would understand the 'don't eat it' game, so no need to apologise. Sounds like a good ruse though TC and one I'll store up for possible future use.

At the moment dd will eat biscuits (wheat/dairy free), grapes, apple, porridge, potato smiley faces and gf chicken nuggets. But only a v.small amount of any of them. I suppose that's not such a terrible diet!! It's just that she was eating well and now is either not eating things she was before or only eating tiny amounts. I think my fear is more that she seems to be 'narrowing' her world. Though hopefully it is just a phase.

Hi Fio .

Porage is one I've managed to maintain against DS's best efforts! Every morning he has a bowl of porage made with milk and with a banana mashed into it. No way will I let him give it up! Its very nice actually. Is she any good with fromage frais HITC? That's another of DS's staples and Skippy peanut butter....

HITC- could you try widening from chicken nuggets to fish fingers? Similar texture (and gluten free- not sure about dairy though?) We managed after many years to get ds1 onto the fish fingers and then he accepted a chicken nugget or 2 (still does occasionally).

Dino - I think possibly part of the problem is actually spoon feeding. Dd can't feed herself with a spoon yet so I have to feed her everything she can't finger feed.

I am wondering if part of it is that she doesn't want to be spoon fed anymore. But still completely refuses to let me teach her to use a spoon herself of course.

what is it about those smily faces? Every child I know on a limited diet will eat those (someone I know only ate those). I reckon they think its tubby toast

Ah yes - she will sometimes eat fishfingers (sainsbury's gf ones are cf too) - must get some.

Porridge has always been a failsafe davros which I was pleased about as relatively healthy etc. But she is now refusing that too or only eating a small amount (may be the spoon feeding thing I guess).

HITC - do you make yr own chicken nuggets. I have a good recipe that includes chicken breat, wholemeal bread, garlic, cheese and mile, let me know.

Can you puree other fruits into the porridge, a teeny tiny bit at a time?

Maybe try squidgying a pea in the eye / smile of the potato smiley faces?!!

I did that with oven cips with L. I cut off the top and pushed in a bit of veggie!

Do you make the biscuits, if not I have a few oaty biscuit recipes you might like?

The only other thing is don't give up offering. Just keep on putting things on her plate that you know she wopn't eat and maybe one day she just will?

I'm sure it is just a phase but it's not nice all the same.

How's everything else anyway?

both my two like smiley faces and my oiven isnt plumbed in atm so i am having to shallow fry them in olive oil

Yeah Lottie will absolutley not let me feed her with a spoon now, so mousakka took about an hour to eat about 8 teaspoons worth at the weekend!

oh that Sainsbury's gfcf freezer corner has made my life so much easier. Try to get her onto the sausages- they have hidden veg (not that ds1 has gone near one ever )

oh yuck Fio!

I mean she ate teeny bits of mince with her fingers.
Same with spagetti hoops, she puts one hoop on a finger and eats a whole tin that way!