Do you have questions about your children’s diet and nutrition?

[CeriMumsnet]

THIS Q&A IS NOW CLOSED. YOU CAN VIEW DR ZOE'S ANSWERS HERE

We all want our children to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet but with so much information out there it can be hard to know how best to support your child’s nutrition. This coupled with fussy eating and a busy lifestyle can make it feel impossible! That’s why Bupa has invited Dr Zoe Williams to answer your questions about children’s nutrition.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw.
• One Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher.
• Dr Zoe’s answers will be shared as videos on this thread in mid-December

About the expert:
DR Zoe Williams MBBS, DRCOG, MRCGP graduated from medical school in 2007. She has gained experience in many specialist fields within medicine and currently practices as an NHS General Practitioner in London and outside of the surgery is a National Advisor of Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and has served as a clinical advisor to the RCGP. Zoe is one of the resident Doctors on ITV’s This Morning, and has featured as an expert on the BBC’s The One Show, Horizon and Trust Me I’m a Doctor.

Here’s what Bupa has to say:
"Bupa's purpose is helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We do this by providing a broad range of healthcare services, support and advice to people throughout their lives. In the UK Bupa are leading healthcare specialists. People are at the heart of everything we do. Together, we make health happen."

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ
Mumsnet Insight T&Cs apply

When should you start giving your baby/child vitamins, and what kind should you look for please?

My four year old is obsessed with treats - biscuits, crisps, chocolate, fairy cakes and so on - and has lots of loving relatives happy to indulge her! Do you recommend banning or limiting them? I’m not sure how to handle it. I’m someone who has dieted all my life and I don’t want this for my daughter. Thanks.

How do you help a child who eats a restricted range of foods due to sensory issues and anxiety?

Is it really better to ‘eat a rainbow’ as I’ve heard? What are the benefits to this? Thanks.

How to increase child's weight without being forceful?

Im exhausted from feeding them and having it refused and binned. They are 21months (egg and dairy allergy) and nearly 5yrs both on 0.2centile on growth chart were 25th and 50th respectively in first year.

Liquid Multivitamins daily.

No health issues.

Feeding them is my worst nightmare. They eat very little, so need food often, they do eat anything, however, can go off favourites day to day, inc sweet treats.

Is cutting out dairy or other allergens to try to identify the source of IBS okay? What else could you advise about IBS in a child? Thank you

I have 2 children who both have completely opposite taste, very few meals they both like! We persevere, but I don’t understand how this happened!

My DD6 is a very picky eater, she has a chewable multivitamin but sometimes I feel like it’s a sweetie a day for her. What is the most natural way to give them a multivitamin?

My DS hates vegetables (this is a 'new' thing) after eating everything, he now refuses, would you keep offering them - or stop and give them in a few weeks while we carry on with carrots and peas, in the hope he will want to try them again (I am adding grated veg into things when I can - esp with mince dishes)

Can you give me any logical reason why a child can eat almost anything, and the a couple of years later have a very selective diet - would it be more a mental issue than a physical one - I am just ignoring this and hoping that the varied diet will return with patience

Hi, i would love some tips on how to get my daughters to eat meals with sauces!! We end up cooking 2 different versions of the same meal, or eating different meals, as they both won't try anything in a sauce. Tomato based, cheese sauce, creamy sauce, spicy sauce - just none of them! It's really restrictive for cooking family meals. And we then get stuck in a meat + carbs + veg very divided plates. Thank you

How young can a child be given a test to show an allergy against something ? My DS says he is 'allergic' to a variety of foods - no outward symptoms gastro or otherwise - I can prove there is no allergy I am hoping he will eat more variety (age 11)

I feel confident that my children get enough veg 'hidden' in mince dishes by grating and finely chopping the yellow and red bell peppers into lasagnes - my issue is fruit, they will eat mashed banana, but I really struggle with apples,pears and oranges - I've tried everything - I'd love them to enjoy fruit as part of a healthy diet. Any tips ?

what quantities of what foods for a dairy free child to get appropriate calcium levels. Anything else that I need to watch for a dairy free child?

My niece (9) has said she wants to be a vegan, I am all for her choice, and her parents supporting this - they are finding foods which are vegan quite expensive - I said just to give her 'veggie' food instead and just tell her it's vegan - my q would be - does having a vegan diet at such a young age have any effect - lower amounts of calcium is my main concern as she is only drinking vegan milk. (which is nutritious - but has much less than dairy)

Is my child's eczema and asthma exacerbated by their poor diet (despite attempts to 'hide' veg he always picks them out - I give vitamins - but even then am not sure if there are any supplements which would help - or food groups I should encourage more.

If my child eats what I think is a balanced diet with enough fruit and veg (hidden sometimes 😉) Are multivitamins needed - my HV thinks I should give vitamin drops in food .

My 2 year old (in 2 weeks time anyway 😆) has become very picky about her food..Should I persevere with giving her different foods to try and get her to eat them or just fall back on her favourites? I'm just worried about getting the calories in her belly at the minute.

My DS(8) has been a very fussy eater since he was 16 months old when he started rejecting foods. He has not eaten vegetables since he was 18 months old, hardly ever eats any fruit, has an insatiable thirst for eating snacks, and barely drinks too.

He saw a dietician at age 4 for 18 months and she decided he was choosing to be fussy. Lately he has tried corn on the cob and tuna pasta but you can actually see him visually struggling to chew and swallow, even though he appears to like the taste.

At what point could this be considered a possibly sensory issue rather than just general fussiness? I’m so worried about his poor diet, and we have tried absolutely every ring to get him to eat well to no avail.

Are probiotics necessary for children? If they won't eat fermented foods, should they take a supplement?

Do you think vitamins are necessary ?

Do you think that 'hiding' vegetables into meals is enough (carrots, yellow and red peppers, onions) I started to blend them and add to meals (mainly mince dishes) really to introduce to the palette, now I grate carrot and onion, and stil bend peppers - I have tried chopping and dicing but they used to pull them out of the meal. I'd love to make mealtimes easier and to see them with a carrot on a fork

15m DS with good appetite but won't be spoon-fed. Tried giving him finger foods (processed veg sticks, crunchy pea puffs etc) which he is ok with, but they are quite carb loaded. He's managing meat and cheese ok, but he doesn't get enough volume of food without the carby stuff. Will eat grapes and banana but not keen on apples.

Is his diet varied enough, how could I improve it?

What is your opinion of school meals - and would you recommend - if not why ?

Is buying organic worth it ? In terms of nutrition.