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Parenting > Kids Health and Pediatrics Forum > Extreme picky eater or OCD?
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Q: Extreme picky eater or OCD?
asked by: dn100 on September 28th, 2009
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My son is 9 y.o. and he is an extreme picky eater. As a baby he used to eat just about any jar food from the store. As he grew up he started to become picker. By age 8 he eat only cheese pizza, homemade bread, homemade tomatoe soup, beef tacos, chicken strips and mashed potatoes. He does not eat any fruits or vegetables. He can't eat breakfast and when he tries he vomits. Just the merely sight of food, smell or reading the menu trigger a sensation of nausea. This feeling usually goes away by 11 AM which is late because by then he is at school and with an empty stomach. He started doing poorly in school as a 4th grader due to the fact that he is lethargic and can't concentrate. We explained this problem to the peds. many times but he is growing tall and gaining weight so nobody sees this as a problem. However, we on the other hand are frustrated because it impacts our vacations and life style in general by not being able to attend and do the things we enjoy. I am beginning to think that he may have OCD but he has no other symptoms related to this disorder. I tried introducing new foods but I can't even get him to come to the table much less taste. Everytime we tried to force him to eat, he shrivers and cries and eventually throws up. He needs help but the doctors seem to ignore our problem and tell us to let him starve until he comes around to eat. The problem is he only gets sick and becomes dehydrated and does not eat even the little he used to before. I am not sure if it is genetically but I was a picky eater as well, but by puberty I started to accept other foods. As an adult, I eat a lot of things so the problem I had did not impact my life.The doctors said that he will grow out of it but what if he does not? After all, as months pass by, his menu decreases in choices. We are now down to bread,soup, milk and cheese pizza. Please help!!
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Dr. Joel W. Steelman , MD
replied on October 4th, 2009
I sympathize with your problem. Food struggles are a challenge for many parents. The challenges seem to be more pronounced in younger aged children. Your son has an extremely limited set of foods that are not particularly well balanced.

Your statement that his pediatrician tells you that he is growing and gaining weight is reassuring. Also, the likelihood of a major health problem lower such as a digestive disorder lower in a case where a child is thriving.

I suggest coordination with your pediatrician to find counseling services for him to work on these issues. He may even benefit from feeding therapy. I wish you well on this challenge.





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