Any tips for getting 14 mo to switch from Infatrini to Paediasure?

[elibumbum]

DS has been on Infatrini from 4.5 mo and now his consultant has switched him to Paediasure. He still isn't eating much in the way of solids so has to continue with this milk to get all the calories, vitamins and minerals he needs. Problem is Paediasure is flavoured (we got all the flavours to try) and he hasn't seemed very keen on it so far.

I am assuming you are in the U.S? I am also assuming Infantini and Paediasure formula milks?

Is there any other non-flavoured milk he could try? I actually think getting him used to flavoured milks is probably not a great idea anyway.

Did the consultant say why he wanted to switch? Is Paediasure your only option?

No I'm in the UK. Yes they are formula milks. DS had FTT after developing a food aversion from silent reflux going on too long. He went to the bottom centile at his worst but has now got back up to the 25th. He doesn't eat enough of his solids to give him all the calories, vitamins and minerals he needs. Paediasure is more age appropriate than infatrini - although he did say there wasn't a problem with DS staying on infatrini for a while longer.

I'm sure there are other options. He doesn't seem to have much of an appetite for solids and often spits out food after he has chewed it. Sometimes he shudders when he swallows food - the consultant said this was fairly normal for a child that has had reflux problems and it is a matter of building his confidence. I'm wondering if I should take him to a speech therapist to see if they can help. Anybody else come out the other side of a similar problem?

that sounds no fun eli
maybe start a new thread asking about the problem specifically?

Hi, could you try mixing them both, then each week mix less of the infatrini and more of the paediasure ... until he's having all paediasure..

good luck...

Thanks for your replies.

I will try your idea funmum.

Mrs Badger - feeding him hasn't been fun from day one but he is a lovely cheerful little boy in every other aspect of his life so that makes up for feeding times! When he had the food aversion we never thought we would see him guzzle a bottle of milk - but he does now (with infatrini) - so we can only hope the same happens with his solids. He will probably eat me out of house and home when he is a teenager! I will post on the health pages to see if anyone else has gone through something similar.

my dd1 went from infatrini to nutrini which has no flavour but that's here in the uk. there are different types of nutrini some with 75cal/100ml, 100cal/100ml and a high one of 150cal/100ml. also have the choice of added fibre. maybe ask your consultant about it.

Hi - I am in the UK too. I wonder why the consultant didn't prescribe nutrini? Did your lo go on to it because it is more age appropriate than infatrini? I'm not due to see the consultant for another 4 months but I suppose I could email him. God knows what I'm going to do with a 2 month supply of paediasure!!

KK - does your dd1 eat much in addition to the nutrini?

her eating comes and goes and when it goes i mean she just doesn't eat. she's got so many other problems though (has digeorge syndrome mainly affects her heart as well as causing other problems), her milk actually goes into her through a gastrostomy as she hardly drinks (really lucky to get 2oz of any type of liquid into her in a day orally). she got it perscribed by the dietician in our local children's hospital as we're always there. your hv should be able to get in touch with a local dietician for you and you can talk to her about this or go back to your consultant. nutrini takes over infatrini and they're allowed it after they turn 1.

nutrini just been looking through the website at nutrini it should be suitable as it is the follow on from infatrini but it does say it's only for tube feeds. don't know why this is, i would ask about it as i'm sure they'll give it to you in your circumstance.

elibumbum - dd didn't have either of the formula you mention - we had ordinary formula to which we added fortifiers; maxijul and calogen. They can be added to solid food too to boost the calorie content.

Dd was ng fed for some time and we saw speech therapy to help with feeding as she had some oral aversion. She was a good bit older than your ds though. Food play is a way forward once he's a bit bigger - just getting down and messy and letting him get some of it in his mouth.

kreamkrackers - hello - not seen you for a while. Hope your dd is doing OK. Weren't you pg last time you were here?

KK - thanks for your reply and sorry to hear about your dd's problems and I really hope things improve for you both soon. If it is generally only for tube feeding that is probably why the consultant didn't prescribe it. Infatrini can be used for both. I saw a dietician last summer so I could give her a call to see if there is a suitable alternative

SMBK - do the fortifiers contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals as well as extra calories? I would like some thing I could fortify ordinary cows milk with really. Most mealtimes involve DS playing with the food and a bit of it getting eaten! Apart from yogurt and the odd fruit puree I just let DS eat everything himself as finger food - this is much less stressful for all concerned.

Did the speech therapy help your dd? The HV has mentioned referring ds before. What do they do exactly?
Thanks

i'd try to get a salt worker now as we've had loads of trouble getting one. dd1 sees her salt worker in an assesment nursery but we were meant to from sept 2006 have one come out to our house and provide support with her eating skills, mainly that she couldn't chew and she holds food in her mouth. we've never had one come out but dd1 does chew now but it's taken us a long time to get her to but she does still store food a lot and i don't understand why. your area might be better but for most areas it is a long waiting time to see a salt worker so start calling your hv on monday morning.

hi smbk no longer pg, had baby in july 06 she was 11 weeks early. had loads of problems with our old computer so gave up on it, recently got a new one but it's taken ages to get broadband fitted as we also needed to change phoneline. anyways back now at long last, but just decided to move house so should hopefully be moving in 6 weeks time so might end up offline again soon but hopefully will be back online quickly.

eli - it's a long time ago but no I don't think they do. It's just extra calories. She had formula until she was well turned two. Cost a blimmin fortune. dd was never very happy with anything flavoured either - other than chocolate - she still seems to have psychological issues with fruit or fruit flavours. She's 13 but can get quite panicked about it.

The SALT stuff was mainly play - getting rewards (toys & loads of praise, positive reinforcement) for putting things near her mouth. At first it wasn't food necessarily; teething toys, a plastic spoon. She was weaned on quavers and chocolate buttons as it had to be stuff that would melt in the mouth and didn't have to be consciously swallowed. We had very messy mealtimes where she had maybe a bowl of custard - no spoons just her smearing it over the highchair and in her hair. It felt never ending at the time but if you could see her eat now, it's wonderful, although as I said there is stuff she won't touch with a barge pole!

It's worth getting a referral - it's too early I would think for them to do much but the list could be long anyway so by the time you get to the top he could be ready.

kk - can't believe it's so long ago. Hope dd2 is well despite being early.

Thanks for your replies KK and SMBK. I think I will speak to the HV about a referral to the speech therapist and speak to the dietician again

DS will drink the vanilla paediasure when mixed with infatrini or full fat milk. So some improvement there. I've just realised the paediasure has E numbers in it which I find somewhat off putting! Fortunately his solids intake has improved a little lately.

Hi elibumbum - my twins have been on Infatrini since about 4 months, had dreadful silent relux so I do sympathise. They are 13 months and it is still being prescribed for them, there hasn't been any mention of changing to a follow-on formula. I'm no expert but if your DS is happy and it agrees with him why does your consultant have a problem? I can't believe they are prescribing something with E numbers in it, seems crazy!

Well done for getting to the 25th centile BTW. My smallest DD is tootling along just below 0%, we joke that techically she has ceased to exist . She is also a poor eater but is happy and healthy so I try not to worry.

His consultant didn't have a problem with him carrying on with infatrini - I asked if there was something more age appropriate because it says on the infatrini bottle that it is suitable for until 12mths or 8kg. DS is over 9kg and 14 mo. Wish I had kept quiet!

I hope you LO starts climbing the centiles soon. DS never appeared unwell when he was at his skinniest - he was always happy and alert so we also tried not to worry too much - difficult though! His consultant said he would have been happy if he had continued along the 0.4th centile - as it is the steady following of one line that is important. He was a little astonished that DS went back up to the line he started on. That was thanks to the Losec working and him realising that milk didn't equal pain any more and obviously the extra calories from the infatrini.