Selective/fussy eating DD age 3 advice needed

[Purplefan]

Hi All,

I wonder if anyone has some amazing advice or support that they can offer. My DD aged 3 has TS (turner syndrome) she is an absolute delight the majority of the time and is amazingly strong willed. One of our major issues is her eating. She has had problems since weaning and has never really coped with lumpy meals therefore we continued for much longer with pureed meals. Finger food was initially an issue but with some help from the speech therapist we overcame this. She will eat crisps, breadsticks, biscuits, yoghurt coated fruit flakes, bananas, strawberries, some crackers, goodies flapjacks etc no problem at all. She will also happily feed herself petit filous yoghurts.

Main meals are our major issue she will not eat "normal home-cooked meals" unless they are pureed and also she will not feed herself these. She will feed herself an occasional chip but cottage pie, pasta, roast dinner etc will not pass her lips at all!! She will not eat bread of any kind despite me trying all different types of bread and also us making fabulous heart/star shapped sandwiches together etc... she likes the idea of them but will not touch them.

She makes up her mind about something by just looking at it.

She has recently turned 3 and despite being under the dietician and pediatrician I still feel that I don't know what to do next. The Pediatrician says it is all behavioural and the dietician just wants her to get calories in therefore biscuits, crisps etc are fine.

Does anyone have any other ideas I could try for getting her to eat main meals and feed herself? We have tried the no nonsense approach so no treats etc.. she is not bothered, we have left her sat for hours with a meal.... we have tried the positive and sticker charts but nothing seems to make the difference!!! Help???!??

Thanks for the reply poltergoose. I haven't tried pureeing separately so will give that a go. I have tried alternating the time she eats cooked meal and that makes no difference. .. little madam. She is also on a dietary supplement milkshake but I always give that to her at the end of the day to stop it replacing a meal. Perhaps I am getting to hung up on the food issues??

Hi purple I think your Dd is still little and it sounds like she has made lots of progress with eating. I would try to focus on the positives and dont sweat the rest.

Good luck

Thanks Ineed one step at a time eh? Maybe I need your name

Hi purple, slightly different story here but we are in a similar boat. DD has been tube fed for quite a while now following concerns over aspiration and an unsafe swallow among some other issues. These are now deemed to have resolved and we are trying to transition from tube to oral and have VERY slow progress. At the beginning she was very averse to foods; now it seems far more of a stubborness/behavioural thing. The professionals though don't seem too concerned-whilst time is ticking on she is still young and the percieved wisdom seems to be small steps win the race and any medical problems, however small, can throw up much bigger obstacles. We have just been referred to a psychologist and whilst I was hoping for a magic wand the main thing they want to concentrate on it positive reinforcement around (any) food. DD currently only eats small quantities of buttered toast, dry bread, crisps and very occassionally yoghurt. No one seems worried at all; whether that is because we have a tube to fall back on or that they used to children taking very small steps or both I don't know!

ps. I also need more patience! It drives me absolutely barmy.

Thanks Amymouse, sorry only just seen your message!!! I guess I probably stress about it too much. Have spoke to my health visitor who is amazing and supportive. She has suggested a much more relaxed approach by putting it in front of her, giving her 20 minutes and then taking it away if not eaten... no comments and no encouragement thus taking the attention away. It is hard.... we have had a small amount of success but still with the pureed food. Small steps... thanks again for the messages