Fussy eater, losing weight, looks pale - help!

[Rosieglow]

My DD (15m) has never been keen on food and refuses to eat most things. For the last 3 weeks she's had a cold and has hardly eaten much at all. I think she's also teething. She seems to be getting quite skinny to me so I got her weighed and she's lost 10oz since she was a year, even though she's got much taller.

So, is that a lot to lose? Should I be concerned?

Also she's only eating fruit purees and yoghurt and she just looks all washed out to me. I'm giving a vitamin syrup but should she get iron too?

Speak to your HV tomorrow and voice your concerns....tbh, toddlers should be eating alot more than...

fruit purees and yoghurt

It was the HV who weighed her.. said to go back in a month....

Obviously, I'd like her to eat more but she just says no. She's soooo fussy. I've got a 4yo who eats everything so I'm trying to convince myself it's not something I've done.

The HV said to do some messy play with her. Any ideas of things to do?

I have a ds who is so fussy, he is 11.....I put fresh fruit and veg and bribe him to eat them
What about giving her the spoon to feed herself, do you think that will work.

She always gets a spoon too. Mainly just dips it in the food then throws it on the floor.
I tried to put a piece of carrot on her tray at lunch time and she went berserk. WOuln't even touch it.

Don't worry its not something you have done..I also have a ds2(16month) and dd(12) who willeat just about anything....the 11 year old just disects everything...I had to pay him a pound to eat an apple once

Hi

A friend of mine has a baby of 14m who won't eat anything except fruit purees and yoghurt, so she took him to a dietician. All his blood tests came back perfectly normal (vitmanins, iron etc) BUT he is BF on demand so is still getting everything he needs. The dietician said there was nothing to worry about until he is 2.

Having said that, this baby is still putting on weight and looks healthy, is active etc.

I would bypass the HV and take your DD to your GP, maybe ask for a referral to a dietician? Surely weight loss in a baby should be taken more seriously than your HV seems to suggest?

Nine

don't disagree with anything that's been said, but it sounds like you are doing your best. i just wanted to sound sympathetic, really, as dd has hardly eaten anything in the last few days except porridge pancakes and the odd bit of fruit or soft toast. so i know where you're coming from on the immediate problem. it's such a shame, she's in agony with teething and has a bad cold, the poor thing.

TBH when my DC were teething or had a heavy cold they wouldn't eat enough for a bird -- including DS who eats for England normally.

I do have a friend whose DD wasn't keen on food at the same age, now 2, eats well.

All you can do is try your best -- after all you can't force them to eat.

My DD is fussy, but is getting better now at almost 6 and eats a much wider variety. I remember between 12 mths & 20 mths a real low point with her. But then she gradually added more to her diet. She too is often pale looking. But is always full of energy and hardly sick. Just keep offering tastes (20 times to try before they get used to a new taste), smile and hopefully she'll catch on once gone with cold &teeth.