2 and half years told not eating

[Samantha1571]

My 2 and half year old has gone back to not eating anything. The only thing he will eat is weetabix in the morning, sometimes he will eat a banana/apple/mango but never all of it. He hardly touches his toast and any dinner we give him, he has a bite and that is it so for the last week or so, he literally is living off weetabix and a little bit of fruit. We have tried everything to get him to eat but nothing is working. My partner is so stressed about it but I have no energy left and just give up because what’s the point!? He won’t eat anything and he spits it out. We only ever give him food he likes which is weetabix, toast, fruit and curry for dinner. I just don’t understand how he isn’t hunger! Since weaning him at 6 months old, he has absolutely hated food and it’s been such an awful time feeding him. It may sound silly but I find it traumatising remembering how stressful and tiring it was to get him to eat, even putting him in his high chair was horrendous and he would be hysterical. Also, feeding him he would scream to the point we gave up and he didn’t eat. He is so skinny and he has been referred to a dietitian now but his appointment isn’t until September 😩 I just don’t know what to do anymore 😭 I was so excited to start weaning him and I never thought we would be in this position

First of all. Don’t panic.

im sorry this has been so stressful.

Some kids are pickier than others. Some for sensory reasons. Some because they have pain they haven’t told you. Some because they are neurodivergent and don’t like certain tastes or textures. some for no apparent reason at all

I have no experience of what you are going through. I hope someone else comes along soon.

Does he have any other issues such as sensory problems? Communication delays??
Is there really no other foods he eats? Biscuits? Plain carbs? Yoghurts?

Have you considered ARFID? https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/arfid.html#:~:text=Avoidant%2Frestrictive%20food%20intake%20disorder%20(ARFID)%20is%20a%20fairly,poor%20growth%20and%20poor%20nutrition.

Hi OP! My DS was like this at 2. I'm not sure what you've tried so far but my main advice would be to try not to stress. He is likely picking up on it and it will be making the situation worse (easier said than done I know!)

These are things that worked for us but no doctor would recommend:

1. Spoon feeding him - I reckon he was about 5 when I stopped doing this regularly and around 7 since the last time.

1. Putting him in front of a screen. If he was distracted then I could sneak food in without him realizing.

1. LOTS of snacks. I always carried a bag of food around and offered him something every half hour.

1. Giving him whatever he asked for. Ice cream for breakfast - yes! Chocolate for lunch - fine. I looked on any calories in as a win and didn't worry about the overall nutritional value. Some calories are better than none!

Like I say not anything that a professional would recommend but I now have a 10 year old who will eat anything and his favourite saying at dinner is 'I like trying new things' so I think I can say it worked!

Oh it’s so stressful isn’t it

separate plates for different things
Or do a platter if he doesn’t like things touching

mix everything together if he doesn’t mind things mixed

ketchup /mayo

fruit smoothies/veggie smoothies

ellas kitchen or similar if he will eat it

get him to ‘cook’ his own food and choose food in the supermarket

let him eat on a picnic blanket on the floor in the house or get him his own table and chair

let him eat at non meal times as maybe too overwhelming if you all eat together

his own special cutlery and plates to choose from can get ones that light up

try giving him food cold that supposed to be warm. Like spaghetti Bol as you never know

star chart- but this could cause too much pressure

Cereal in a bowl with a straw attached

create flash cards with pictures on of different meals or food and ask him to choose from the menu

toys at the table if not too distracting but distracting enough to get him to eat

music while eating

could try and play a silly song at certain times of the day and when it plays say ‘ yay it’s snack time’ and present him with a a chance to chose his own snack

Ive been there and can understand how stressful it is.

are you able to get a multivitamin into him each day?

Does he have milk and is he night weaned?

Weetabix for breakfast, toast for lunch and curry for dinner plus some fruit as snacks is a fine enough diet. I would give him that daily but I would also try and eat your own meals with him and put some other bits and pieces from your meal within his reach so he can chose whether or not to try it. Don't let any of it show it is stressing you. I suspect that eventually he will branch out.

I do agree that they can actually need far less than you’d imagine. Also, DC will naturally eat more some days than others. So rather than stress over one meal that hasn’t been eaten, keep a food diary and look at what’s been eaten over a week.

This tactic might also help your DP to
deal with their stress too.

Ot might also help your worth reading this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust as it gives information on suggested portion sizes.

If they are resistant to the High Chair it’s ok to eat some meals sat on your knee or listen to an age appropriate story.

Oddly i found mine are more if I played some relaxing classical music.