8 year old with eating problems

[iloveglee]

I would like help or comments from those out there with a 'difficult to feed child' My daughter is 9 and has always been what I would call a 'faddy eater', there are some things she likes (very few) and has always been reluctant to even try anything new. Now she has a very limited diet and is very thin but has bags of energy most of the time. She is generally healthy but having said that is the one that will go down with a cold or ear infection rather than her sister who will eat anything you put in front of her. There are a couple of things she really likes but they are not what I would call very valuable nutritionally. Needless to say she will eat any amount of chocolate or sweets you put in front of her if we let her. When she is given a meal, even some things she is supposed to like she pushes it around her plate as if she has a real fear of it, and takes forever to eat it. I cannot decide whether this is a physical problem she often says she is not hungry (at meal times), or whether it is some kind of power battle, she is a very stubborn and determined character. I thought this would improve as she got older, but it seems to be getting worse. I wondered whether it was worth consulting the doctor although she doesn't appear to be physically ill. We have tried not to make an issue of this but wonder how she can keep going on so little 'proper' food.

[daffy654]

I have a 14 year old son with a very limited diet and we supplement with a daily vitamin tablet. He is rarely ill.
If you are worried about your daughter there is no harm in taking her to see your GP.

[EvianBaby]

I was exactly the same at her age and apart from expanding my diet a little in recent years (I'm now 28) I was always the same. Permanent battle ground for my parents.

I did have to take fibre suppliments when I was a kid because of it but saying that I'm one of the wellest people I know. I rarely get more that a cold for a couple of days a year.

I guess it's up to you if you want to keep up a fighting battle like my parents tried - and failed. Or just let her get on with it.

[Sqad]

She has "bags of energy" and i presume she is not losing weight.

What more could you ask of a 9yr old.

\\\\on so little 'proper' food.\\\\

What is "proper food"..there are so many "fads" around at the moment...high protein. low fat, low carb.........proper food in my definition is ANY food that a child will eat.

I don't think that you have a problem withyour daughter.

[ummmm]

What foods is she eating?

[LoftyLottie]

I had a son who was a faddy eater until he went away to school at 11, where he didn't have the options of doing anything but eat what was available at mealtimes. He then went on to Uni and was the only one in his house that cooked proper food. He actually eats everything now, except eggs and cheese.

I think if your daughter has bags of energy and is a happy child then all is fine.

[iloveglee]

The things she will eat - albeit rather reluctantly at times - are cereal (but only the kind that are sweet!) with milk, nutella sandwiches, pasta with tomato sauce (the one thing she really likes), chicken nuggets - any kind but especially the home made sort), carrots and brocolli but only with sunday lunch. She appears to think that vegetables are only for sundays! I admit though that because we work long hours we don't do much cooking at home. Would your advice be to just give her what she likes, restricted though it is. Unfortunately she won't eat any fruit which is always a good standby for children with eating problems. I don't want to end up in a constant battle with her because i realise it is a battle i won't win, but on the other hand don't want her to be suffering from malnutrition and do nothing about it.

[Hopkirk]

Does she snack before meals?

It's a bit obvious, but I find our daughter eats better at meal times if she is good and hungry.

[rowanwitch]

for a fussy child that looks pretty balanced over a week... if you are doing home made stuff just have other things available on a no pressure help yourself basis and don't make a big thing of it a serving dish of baby veg or tiny mixed tomatoes on the table..... would she eat fruit chopped very finely in jelly? she might just try a taste of something without thinking if everyone else is enjoying it.... also food children make themselves is sometimes appealling .... sometimes its a fear of the unknown or playground stories about 'maggots ' in fruit that can make them wary... doing it them self gives them a chance to 'check'

Ice cream.... frozen yoghuts... sorbets esp with a sprinkle of edible glitter

Friends have found edible glitter is great for tempting fussy little girls but at 8 she might be a bit old for that

[ummmm]

Tomatoes are really good for you. Pasta and tomato sauce is perfect. You could also sneak some veg into that. Grated carrots or such like.

What about home made pizza that she make herself?

[horseshoes]

She sounds lke a normal healthy 9 year old to me. I really wouldn't make ANY sort of issue about it. I used to worry in exactly the same way as you about my son. Somebody did give me tip of not over-facing him with too much on his plate. Otherwise - DON'T WORRY!! The phrase "then do without" rather than coaxing and cajoling, when met with refusal to eat was my Mum's attitude to my faddiness and it works for most children:-)) She'll be fine - you'll see. x

[horseshoes]

^ sorry, 8 year old

[iloveglee]

Sorry she is 8, typo in the question, although she has always been like this from being a toddler. I had been thinking of taking her to the doctor, but i think based on the answers for the moment I think I'll get a vitamin supplement as I think she could be short of vitamins. Possibly as she gets older she may grow out of this. I think it was recently seeing her looking so thin (you don't notice as much when they're huddled in winter clothes) and comparing her with all the other kids in their shorts and little tops she looks so skinny compared. Still ..... at least we don't have the obesity thing to contend with. Underlying this is the worry that there may be a true eating disorder brewing up and as this is often about control I was concerned we didn't make the whole thing worse.

[ummmm]

What does she drink?

[Kiki-frog]

My friend's son would only east pasta, tomato sauce and garlic bread for years. Then at 14 he just decided one day to have what the rest of the family were having. Weird. He's a perfectly healthy teenager now, so I don't think his limited diet held him back particularly. I think you're right not to make an issue with this, and I'm sure she'll get a bit more adventurous in her own time.

[LDC134]

I was a really faddy eater as a child, and drove my parents to distraction. I was the same up until I left home at 22 and had to cook for myself (and on a budget, so no ready meals !) and then I discovered a real love of so many new and different foods. Now, I rarely serve a meal with less than 3 different veg and eat fruit daily. I think part of the problem was my mums cooking style - all the veg was overcooked and generally very bland.
Perhaps try and see if she is interested in cooking herself, a homemade pizza is an ideal start and go from there.

Good luck and try not to worry, no-one can believe the change in me from a child !!

[maggiebee]

My 11 year old grandson eats a VERY limited diet and always has. Daughter has spoken to her GP about it but has been reassured that it is perfectly normal in some children. He plays football, hockey and rugby and is always on the go. Naturally very slim, he is a perfectly healthy laddie ♥

[jkelly24]

Had the same problem with my son from an early age. I saw the health visitor who assured me his diet wasn't actually that bad and 'who says we can't eat the same things every day' so I stopped worrying so much. When he was 10 he went away with school for 5 days and so had to eat what he was given and he came home wanting different things for tea and he has never looked back! If your daughter seems fit and healthy I would say from experience don't worry so much and I'm sure she'll grow out of it

[I.Don No]

1 out of our 3 children was, and still is, a faddy eater and he is the healthiest of us all.

With the proviso that it is ok to get your gp involved at any time,please remember that no healthy child will starve her/himself.

[iloveglee]

Its really reassuring to know that there are so many ex-faddy eaters, and people with difficult to feed children out there and that no-one appears to have suffered dreadful effect from it. To the person who ask what she drinks - at school water, this is what they are allowed during class and has a fruit carton with her packed lunch. She does have some fizzy pop sometimes but not all the time as they only buy a limited amount. Otherwise she has dilute blackcurrant. I am grateful for all these comments and advice, it has made me think that very much the best thing is to just let her have what she likes and try to keep offering different things but not make an issue if she continues to refuse them. It's just that it can be quite upsetting sometimes to see it appearing to be such an effort to eat, (except chocolate of course, there never seems to be any problem with this).

[ummmm]

My cousin only eats crisps and mini cheddars. Has done most of his life and he's in his 50's now.