Anyone have ideas to get a three year old to eat??

[dismom9761]

She may have had the strep for a while. DD9 used to be the strep princess. A couple of times, she's only had GI symptoms. Fall 2005, her only symptom was a complete lack of appetite--no eating whatsoever. (She's usually a good eater.) We couldn't figure out what was going on and took her eventually to the ped. The nurse there thought she needed a psych eval and tried to get her to say that she would eat turkey at Thanksgiving the following week, insisting that she just wanted attention. I insisted that not eating would not be DD's way to get attention--it's not a symptom she would choose.

Finally, the PA says, "she's got a history of strep, let's culture her just to rule it out." You never saw a rapid strep stick change so fast! (BTW, this is our former ped.) It took a good two days on the antibiotic, but her appetite came back, same as it went. About a month later, we sat down to dinner. DD took one bite and said she didn't want to eat. We raced to the walk-in before they closed and it was strep again! Another two days before she ate.

So, while I understand you want to push the food, you may need to just give the antibiotics another day or so. DD couldn't really explain what it was that made her not want to eat. It was not her throat hurting. She said that the food tasted funny and her tummy just didn't want any food.

Good luck--I hope she wakes up hungry!

Thanks for replying.You may be right.She has been complaining with her stomach for severakl days but this is not uncommon.I took her to the Dr. because she started running a fever with stomach and back pain.I really thought she had a kidney infection.She still says her throat does not hurt. She keeps telling me she can't eat because the food stinks.

 

[dfarner]

I had always been one of those people that says they will eat when they get hungry also.Then my second baby went from 90% on the weight charts to under 5%.He is still small for his age but keeps his weight fairly steady.Her Dr. was concerned yesterday and said if we couldn't get her to eat we would have to put her on a suplement.I will continue to encourage her to eat and try to find foods to tempt her and hope as soon as she feels better she will return to her "normal for her" eating patterns.She returns for a weight check on Monday to see if she is still losing weight.

Good luck to you! Maybe since she has been sick it is just a phase she is going through. She very well may have just lost interest in eating since it has been unpleasant for her.

 

[dismom9761]

Good luck to you! Maybe since she has been sick it is just a phase she is going through. She very well may have just lost interest in eating since it has been unpleasant for her.

I hope so!I noticed your ticker-Good Luck with your trip!

 

[dfarner]

I hope so!I noticed your ticker-Good Luck with your trip!

Thank you! I hope your DD starts feeling better. Being sick on summer break is a stinker!!

 

[Tigger&Aidan]

My DS is a very picky eater with some texture issues, so I understand how hard this is.... I often wonder how he even gains weight with the little that he eats vs his level of activity.

Once your daughter's illness/surgery has passed and she seems to feel better, hopefully, her eating will pick back up. If it doesn't and you're stilll concerned, maybe you can see an Occupational Therapist or something to help figure out what's going on? Good luck and here's hoping for a hearty appetite tonite!