Dear Flyaway3405

When you said you asked a doctor, is it a pediatrician? From my own experience doctors (GP) are not so well verse like pediatrician, sorry if I offened anoyone, my daughter was a picky eater herself when she was young, the pediatrician told me that so long she drinks milk it's okay even though some might think it's not. Soon I introduce some food that she likes 'colour food' like carrrots etc. Slowly she started to eat. Hope this helps take care - Love Hart74

Yup! This has happened with all of my children but one (she likes everything all the time lol) and he will grow out of it. You are doing the right thing to leave stuff out...he will eat when he wants. Sometimes it helps if you let them walk with finger foods around the kitchen or outside.

Thanks Flyaway3405 for making me feel like I'm not crazy. My alsomst 3 yr old won't eat either. She had texture issues from the beginning. She would do babyfood meats. Then we did solid food, they were only a couple of fruits and a couple of organic crackers she was willing to do. When she finally got around to chicken fries and pizza, I was thrilled. But now she is so SICK of the limited food choices she will eat that she's now not eating. We live off of v-8 juice and Earthbest crackers. I BELIEVE she will NOT grow out of this (knowing how I was growing up). I feel it will be a life long struggle for her to try new foods. I have also tried many tricks to expand her choices with NO success. Because she won't do bread, eggs, cereal, baby food, meats, etc., I have no way of sneaking food into recipes. Anyone success stories out there with this type of extreme behavior???? If so, please write me.

You have no idea, 'Slester' how much better you made me feel. Sometimes I find myself in tears because my 2.5 year old is not eating anything. He also has trouble with textures. And just like your child, he used to eat more of a variety (mac-n-cheese, pizza, even chicken nuggets). But with time he got tired of all of it. The only things he puts in his mouth now are: milk, juice, toast, and yogurt. And I am scared to even think that he will get tired of those too, because he is not willing to try anything else at all. I try. There was a good suggestion above - to leave food on the table or playroom and see if the child may possibly be interested. Even of he/she just touches it, it may still be the beginning of something new. It doesn't necessarily work for my 2 year old now, but it worked with a couple things with my first child. He is 4.5 now, and just now he is starting to actually eat meals. I hope my second one will be the same, but I am afriad he won't be (they are completely two different people, nothing in common at all).
Good luck. I know I didn't give much useful advice, but it's always nice to know that there is someone else out there going through the same troubles.

Ive been in tears because of this. My 2 year old does not eat! He's 23lbs and can only wear 12month baby pants. His 9mth old brother is in the same size!

My son will pretty much only eat healthy foods though. He eats yogurt, apples, bananas.. and really, thats about it. We have introduced him to chicken fries and he seems to like those okay somtimes.. he'll eat french fries as well.

But he's just skin and bones. My pediatrition is worried about him and wants to do all kinds of tests on him.. I don't know what to do but I am so relieved that I am not the only one struggling with a toddler who doesnt eat.

If you have any suggestons, please write me.

Thank you so much!

I don't really know what to suggest since I am in the same boat. My son doesn't even eat healthy foods or french fries. But I have been taking him to occupational therapy once a week for a few months. And I am being told that with a lot of kids, the problem is their sensory system. They don't like tasting new things, they don't like new textures, etc. So, we have been doing different games and exercises to increase and organize his "feelings." We are using this plastic brush that has soft bristles on it, and we brush every day. It's supposed to help. He likes these little massages, so if anything, at least he likes it. He seems a little happier...I think. So, maybe after this, food will follow. I don't know. It's just a suggestion. I am just doing whatever I can, reading books, Internet, talking to people, trying out OT and ST. We'll see. It may be worth it. Look into this as well. You may find it helpful. Good luck!

All the postings I have read have been helpful in a very supportive way--to know we are not the only ones out there. Sometimes I feel so helpless, my daughter (almost 3) looks as though she is from an impoverished country. She is skin and bones except for her little belly that sticks out.
We ride a roller coaster on what she will or will not eat--know matter what, it is limited. We have seen doctors, run many tests (blood, developmental & psycological), had physical therapy and speech too. We are to try OT next. Nothing has really changed--perhaps for a few weeks here or there she will eat better and we are fooled to think she is finally having a break through. She was a preemie and we have been told that she has sensory & tactile issues--mostly touch and processing. They say she will grow out of it. I'm afraid she is slowly starving.
The only thing I can offer is from a wonderful children's gastro doc down in DC. He got her on Pediasure--it has a 3rd more calories than even whole milk. We get vanilla w/ fiber. It has 9 grams of fat and a good source of vitamins--comes in other flavors as well. She would have a tube in her stomach if we did not have that.
Thank you for sharing.

sadly i'm going thru the same thing with my 16month old. he'll only hav yogurt out of a pouch, and farley rusks so i give him multivit drops (abidec) and give him follow on milk rather than regular milk, as follow on has higher calories and more nutrients! drs say 'as lolng as he's alert and thriving, he's fine' but its not fine for a parent... so try vit drops, just for ur own peace of mind.. my older son started eating a few months after giving him vit drops, as they're supposed to increase appetite. he'll eat anything now...

I feel all of your pain! I hate to call my daughter a picky eater because it completely underplays what I go through on a daily basis. My daughter is almost 3 and has eaten nothing but Butoni Chicken Herb tortellini and Betzios frozen pizza for dinner and lunch since she was a year old. She has plain dry cheerios and a jar of baby fruit for breakfast every day because I MAKE her AND feed her--she will not feed herself anything with a utensil.

When she won;t eat the pizza or the pasta, I maybe get 3/4 cup of soy yogurt ( she is allergic to milk and eggs). Other than that she drinks 2-3 bottles ( yep, still on bottles with the nips cut off) of soy milk and 1 bottle of V8 Fusion diluted EVERY DAY. The only other foods I was able to introduce in 2 YEARS was goldfish and Vienna Finger cookies with the icing shaved off. Yep, NO ICING. Hence, I give her a multivitamin.

In my eyes, she has an eating disorder. yet her pediatrician says b/c her weight is ok, there is no issue. But i say the only reason her weight is ok is b/c i insist she still eat babyfood, I feed it to her like a baby, and offer her milk after each meal. If I stop feeding her, I lose yogurt and any pureed fruit.

To make matters worse, lately, she has stopped eating the pizza and pasta. so she exists - no exaggeration- on cheerios, yogurt, soy milk, goldfish and vienna fingers. On paper, i think i look like I am starving my kid and could be arrested for not feeding her. Realistically, anyone who knows me knows what I go through with her. I offer fresh fruit and tons of homemade food everyday. I have been cutting up bananas and strawberries for 2 years. Never touches it. we NEVER go out to eat b/c we can't . She won't even sit at a table. I even try to bribe her to try french fries or chicken fingers or lollipops or ice pops and she starts FREAKING out.

I do believe she has a sensory issue ( hates new textures like sand and playdough, just started playing with both) and a tactile phobia. She definitely has a phobia with her mouth. Will not let you near it, won't brush her teeth, won't let me check out her teeth and always has a pacifier in her mouth chewing on it.

I do believe something i did led to this, and I do believe some of it is inherited from my husband who is an extremely fussy eater. There are so many things that could have led to this: she had reflux, she vomited alot as a baby, I let her suck babyfood off a pacifier b/c she wouldn't take a spoon until 11 mos, I took her to the dentist at 18 mos b/c she had spots on her teeth... the list is endless with what I could have done to bring on this behavior.

But what i need is some concrete advice and therapy for what I believe is or will become an eating disorder. Despite people telling me I was crazy, I decided to make an appt with a nutritionist and feeding specialist. We go this week. And if that doesn't work, a behavioral therapist. I don;t believe in the old adage, "if she is hungry she will eat". I have tried that method with the bottles and I literally dehydated by baby. With food, I will only end up starving my kid and creating a weight issue. If anyone has any other advice please share.... my only advice to every other parent suffering with this is to at least give them some sort of milk - it will keep the weight on until the real issue is sorted out. its the only thing i believe that has kept me from losing all hope. (And yes, I have cut out the milk at times to see if she would eat more food, doesn't work.)

I just had my second child and I am starting baby food earlier - 4 mos. and if she hates it, I will not push. I will let her drink and wake me up for months just do I don't have another feeding issue. I am literally in tears 3 times a day- breakfast , lunch and dinner. If anyone has a success story out there with a similiar demanding child, please tell it! I am losing hope.

-exhausted mommie in NY

Hi!
My 2.5 year old son is similar... here are a few suggestions:

- he loves "veggie dogs" - they are like hot dogs but made with soy. You almost can't tell the difference in taste and they are full of iron and B12 etc. I cut them in small round pieces and he eats them no problem. There is also vegetarian pepperoni which tastes really good and is full of good things.

- I find that he eats better when he's hungry (he gets very few snacks) and if we go for a walk and he's in the stroller, there is nothing to do but eat, so he does (same thing in the car)

- he gets really curious about a food that he sees or hear about in a book... I was shocked the other day when he asked to try honey after he read a "winny the pooh" book a few times! There was a Dora episode where she goes to get blueberries and right after, same thing, he ate a small bowl of them "to be like Dora".

- if he sees something really often, then he's more likely to try.. so once, I ate buckwheat pancakes for 7 days in a row and he finally tried, and now that's part of his regular meals (thank god it lasted only 7 days)...

- try to create new experiences (like picnics, eating outside, eating at the table but with candlelights).. because it was something new for him, I was able to introduce new habbits at the same time.

I was looking for other advices because his diets is still limited (8 meals but some fruits and veggies too) and my daycare provider finds it hard to leave him go hungry because he won't touch her macaroni and cheese.. so I really hope this changes with time!

feeding groups, food chaining (google for book with this in title), patience, no pressure...all helpful

I am in the same boat! My son turns 3 in November and his diet consists of chocolate milk and toast with jelly. He sometimes eats pizza and cereal.. but rarely.

We were recommended to start giving him pediasure (try food first, then offer him pediasure) and he actually really likes it! He asks for "chocolate milk" and he gets pediasure.. He is slowly starting to pick at food now.. I think he was relating his "hungry pains" to food and he was afraid to eat..

I'm still really worried about him, I am beyond stressed out about his eating habits I can't sleep at night. Our Dr is telling us the same thing as all of yours. The pediasure is very expensive (6 for $10) but it is starting to give me a little piece of mind, so its worth it.. at least he's getting some calories.

I too am suffering a child who won't eat. He is 20 months old and has had an issue with food since the day he was born.

Quite literally, he hated breastfeeding, even though he was good at it, and even as a newborn would only feed for a total time of about 10 minutes then refuse to feed anymore.

At 4 months of age, he gave up breastfeeding himself. He actually refused to breastfeed. Went on a nursing strike. I too was told to leave him be and that he wouldn't starve himself but he went for so long without a feed he was in danger of becoming dehydrated. This is a 4 month old.

I gave him bottles of formula after that and those worked. Even then, he'd only take the smallest amount of formula. He was 6 months old before he'd take 200ml (7oz).

Since the day he was introduced to solids, he has refused food. All he will eat now is Organix Banana Porridge baby food, oat biscuits, bread sticks and sometimes yoghurt, but he often goes off that.

Rarely, he will eat something newly introduced (fish fingers, chicken nuggets) and then after about 2 days goes completely off it, never to touch it ever again.

He survives on a milk, oat biscuits and bread sticks. That is literally his diet. He is thin, though he has boundless energy.

He wakes up in the middle of the night hungry and usually takes food then, like yoghurt, but he'll stop at just one small pot.

We also cannot take him out. He won't sit in the chair, won't eat off our plates, or anything we offer him. This kid won't even eat cake or chocolate or junk food.

I am also afraid he has an eating disorder or an eating disturbance of some sort. It's like his brain is wired in a certain way. He is otherwise healthy and normal developmentally, but just something about the way his brain is wired means that he has to have this weird control over food (it's not about the taste...it's not even about the food itself). Like people with eating disorders, it's about the control.

How do you get over that with a 20 month old?

I am also in tears over it, lose sleep over it, worry and believe that I have done something wrong.

At least it's good to know that I am not alone. I hope we all get our food phobic toddlers sorted out soon!