Help needed - 17month old not eating and loosing weight-any advice welcome

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Hi
I am in desperate need of any advice, my dd is 17months old and is refusing almost everything given apart from some breakfast cereal, organix crisps and anything chocolate! She used to be a brilliant eater and all home made meals and fruit too until the finger food stage, she has had steady weight but is now down to 21lb in a space of 2 months, she is petite (as I was) but now Iam frantic with worry trying to think of simple tasty foods to bulk up on - if there are any tried and tested recipe's please pass them on. We have been advised by HV to see a doctor as she has had a terrible cough and cold for over a week now which may have something to do with it. Any help/advice appreciated.

Many thanks

This always works for DS so fingers crossed for you...

Corn Chowder

1 lage potato
1 large carrot
1 onion
3/4 pt full milk
mug of frozen sweetcorn
bay leaf

chop veg & put all ingredients ex the seetcorn in sauce pan. Bring to boil & simmer for 20 mins. Add sweetcorn & cook for 5 mins til cooked. Remove bay leaf. Blend / mash so you have quite a chunky broth. Freezes brilliantly.

Good luck!

Forgot to say that because its a soup she may find it easier to eat as it won't hurt her throat as much.

This must be very worrying for you but I'm sure it must be quite common & loads of more experienced Mums will add some advice.

Many thanx for the recipe, will give it a try, have had some good advice from baby centre mums too so hopefully dd will get back on track when this cough/cold goes

hi, I've been exeriencing the same thing with my dd who's 16 months. She weighs 7.9kg (17pounds I think? she's 77cm tall), and is eating very little due to colds, coughs etc. It is stressful isn't it? IAll I can do is offer her food regularly, and give her what she likes to eat, which isn't a lot, she's incredibly fussy. Now that her colds is going her energy levels and appetite seem to be improving. I give her as much milk as she wants.

my 16 month old is the same and weighs kess than he did a month (or proably even maybe 2 months) ago.

in this time he has suffered 2 really nasty colds and been teethimng a lot

also has now started walking so must be using more calories

we just gibve him what we planned (pretty much anything) and he can eat it or starve... his record so far with no food at all (just a morning and evening small cup of milk is 23.5 hours

BUT we REFUSE to give in... he can eat whats given to him or starve (i do NOT 'do' fussy children') no child has ever starved them seleves to death when regualarly offered yummy nutritous food....

thats what I (and mummy and daddy) want him to eat, so that is what he will be given.

IMO its around this age when you can make or break a fussy eater. Many start trying to be faddy... but when they learn that you give them what they want, they learn to only eat what they want.... whereas mine learn the food they get is all there is, and they can eat it or starve and generally they choose to eat it

Good luck.... i know it is hard and stressful when they refuse to eat!

Nanny L - it takes a lot of willpower to still believe 'no baby will ever starve themselves to death' when I can count my baby's ribs.