Help needed with small food refuser pls

[LaTristesse]

Desperately seeking some support with my 5yr old's food issues please, if anyone has gone through similar, or knows of any online groups, forums, sites etc which could help. To say he's a fussy eater is an understatement. He eats barely anything, says foods smell, look etc disgusting (will only eat a fishfinger if it's the right temperature and he can't see any fish). I've tried the obvious stuff (growing, cooking, prepping with him - he loves all these but still won't eat anything). I'm really starting to worry now as a couple of his staples are now on the no list, and he can't survive on peanut butter sandwiches, surely? Posting here as I suspect sensory issues, he's not SN as far as I know...
BTW, I'm not a fan of the 'force him, make him go hungry' approach.
Any links, other advice etc welcome, people.... Thanks x

would your gp refer you to a dietician so you can find out if he is eating enough of the right things or needs any supplements? I read out of synch child to find out more about sensory issues. My ds was referred to an o/t because of his delayed motor skills. The o/t had a special interest in sensory and told me ds' food phobia was sensory related. She gave me oral motor exercises for ds to do daily to desensitise his mouth. It has helped a bit but he still hates the smell and look of food. Dietician told me my ds might always be like this and to accept him as he is.

When my dd was having major food issues, I found reading 'can't eat, won't eat' useful. It didn't fix anything, but I did glean a couple of useful pointers.

My dd's school did a LOT of work with her centering on food sensitivities (NB, not actually focussing on eating the food). So, making pictures using potato printing, using mushed up berries as paint. Dying cooked spaghetti to make pictures with. Basically exploring textures, smells and colours without expecting the food to be eaten. It seemed to take some of the threat away.

It was a long, slow road, but with a lot of work we have brought dd1 to a place where she will try most things (smell is her biggest issue).

Could you ask to be reffered to a dietitian? My ds eats very few foods. Will try things but declares all as "yuk".

As said up thread - although my ds eats hardly anything ( cheese, toast, cereals, milk, some processed meat depending on mood, jogurt, maybe some apple or carrot if it's a blue moon) the dietitian said he's getting all he needs albeit from a unconventail diet. We too tried the "if you don't eat this you get nothing" it got alarming at seven days of eating nothing at all. I don't think he has ever said he feels hungry. Not even after three solid days of no breakfast, lunch or dinner. Forcing him isn't even a option here. He's happy to starve.

We are trailing him eating a meatball or some chicken as soon as he gets from school, not going great as he acts like he's chocking it down but maybe a few mouthfuls of protein go in week now.

Fortified cereals are keeping him alive mostly

Just to say a really big thanks for the replies. I'm already feeling a bit better about things. I found some reading about food jags and that's him to a tee, so feel better about approaching a HCP with an actual 'thing' (although will be prepared for nothing at all to come of it!) I dietician does sound useful though, for some pointers...

I make sure he has a multivitamin, and he will drink a smoothie, so I'm happy that he is getting at least something fresh and 'good' each day. I've also started keeping a food diary so I have a better guage if I need it. I'll also see if I can get school involved somehow.

Amazingly he ate some Frosties for breakfast, which is different AND new!

The first thing the dietitian asked us for was a diary. Including brands and amounts so that's a great start

Also in my area it's not too a wait to see a dietitian ( 6 months ish)