Appetite concerns

[Brightsy]

My older son (9 1/2 ADHD) is not eating as much these days. He claims he's just not hungry too much. He still snacks a little (popcorn, apples, occasionally a cookie, grapes - he loves grapes). He eats his lunch at school and his teacher told me she hasn't seen any problems there... but breakfast and dinner... he's rarely hungry and he barely picks at his meals. I make stuff he likes. This AM all he would take for breakfast was a Kid Essentials drink and he didn't even finish it! *sigh* He says he doesn't have an upset tummy, or naseua, or any discomfort/pain, just he's not hungry.
At first I was thinking it's his meds, he's on Focalin, but his appetite depression is when his meds aren't in effect. He's eating the most at lunch when his meds are on board. He's been on this med and dose for almost 3 years and this appetite thing has only cropped up in the last couple weeks. I'm starting to get worried. He hasn't lost much/any weight as far as I can tell, and his energy levels seem ok. He's supposed to see his Dr. in April for his tri-monthly checkup but I'm thinking he should go in, maybe there's something else wrong? If he had pain or was showing some signs of illness I'd be more certain, but... I'm at a loss... where do I draw the line between paranoia and certainty of something amiss? Is this a phase, or what?
Have any of you had this experience? Or should I just go ahead and take him... I'm usually the one who tells my pals, "If you're concerned, take the child in... it's never a waste of time to get something looked at..." So why am I having a hard time taking my own advice???

 

[KirstenB]

How does he look? Does he do sports? Is he a picky eater? Our nearly 11 yr old dd takes Concerta. She weighs 65 lbs. She looks skinnier (and shorter) than most kids in 5th grade, but she's healthy for her. We joke that she eats her weight once a week to make up for the other 6 days.

I do try to get extra calories into her. However, she's a VERY picky eater. She can really take or leave food. It sounds like your son is usually a good eater.

I was speaking to a friend who's a nurse, who also has a skinny 5th grader. She suggested buying Ensure or the like, and seeing which of those supplemental drinks our dd would drink. I pack it in her lunch 1-2 times a week.

 

[mechurchlady]

Read each of his meds to see if any cause appetite suppression. Also you should check with the doctor as there is something either bothering the kid emotionally or physically if he is not eating. I may be wrong as usual.

Make sure one of his meds is not throwing him out of sync. Poior kid.

hugs and chocolates
Laurie

 

[bookwormde]

Side effect times do not always match the benefit time profile for medications so checking with the prescribing physician would be appropriate. Our children tend to have “non standard” eating profiles so this is not surprising.

bookwormde

 

[Brightsy]

How does he look? Does he do sports? Is he a picky eater? Our nearly 11 yr old dd takes Concerta. She weighs 65 lbs. She looks skinnier (and shorter) than most kids in 5th grade, but she's healthy for her. We joke that she eats her weight once a week to make up for the other 6 days.

I do try to get extra calories into her. However, she's a VERY picky eater. She can really take or leave food. It sounds like your son is usually a good eater.

I was speaking to a friend who's a nurse, who also has a skinny 5th grader. She suggested buying Ensure or the like, and seeing which of those supplemental drinks our dd would drink. I pack it in her lunch 1-2 times a week.

My son looks good. Although he, to me, seems a little too pale (but then again, it's winter and he hasn't been able to play outdoors as much). He likes to play with his buds outside, but come to think of it he's come in early a few times saying he was tired...

Hmmm.. thank you all. I'll call the clinic when it opens and make him an appt.

 

[Schmeck]

If you are constantly trying to get him to eat, and he is grazing on popcorn (high fiber, very filling) apples (fiber there too), grapes and cookies then his stomach is telling him he's not hungry. Just offer him breakfast and dinner (and lunch at school) for two days. No snacks, no treats, no soda or juice. If he's still not eating much at those meals, then check with his pediatrician. Keep a journal of what he has eaten if you can.

 

[Brightsy]

This evening I had to go to a thing w/ younger son. I dropped my older son w/ a friend. When I picked him up she told me that at dinner my son ate a half a box of chicken nuggets w/ ranch, a handful of carrot sticks and some pretzels! When I got him home he had an apple and a rice crispy treat. Yoiks! I asked him what was up and he said, "I dunno, I was just hungry."

I'll keep that diary and see whats up... also I'll do the no snacks thing and see how he does.

 

[kirbydog48]

My ds is also 9 1/2 and takes focalin. His appetite really varies. Sometimes he eats a ton, and other days he barely eats. I think you need to look at what he eats over the course of a week rather than each day, and try to make the snacks as nutritious as possible, preferably including some protein (string cheese, peanut butter, yogurt, etc). Maybe 5-6 mini-meals would work better than 3 squares.

 

[bookwormde]

It is funny that we get concerned when our children do not eat in normal (social) eating patterns. We have run blood tests to confirm that our son is getting proper nutrition with his limited diet and they all come out good. We of course include a multivitamin.

It sound to my like your child is eating when hungry so that is probably a much healthier way to be than most of the population.

bookwormde

 

[Schmeck]

Except it's more work to have to feed a kid six times a day instead of the usual 3 meals. Instead of always trying to accommodate the child with Asperger's or some other diagnosis, how about finding a way to acclimate them to the real world? The real world is not going to bend over backwards to meet their every need, you know.

 

[ireland_nicole]

Actually, eating more often and in smaller amounts is considered by most nutritionists to be a much healthier way of eating. And, eating when one is hungry instead of following sociological patterns is a better way of ensuring proper portions and daily caloric totals.

For the OP, I agree that keeping a food diary over a couple of weeks is probalby a good idea. But if he's not losing weight, and has good energy levels and no pain, he's probably fine. I wouldn't make an extra appt. for it. I often find with both of mine that for a few days they'll seem to not eat much, but then make up for it. They usually only have a yogurt drink that I add protein powder and krill oil to for breakfast, eat a small lunch but are starving after school. We keep a variety of snacks on hand natural cheese, popcorn, fruit, olives, avocados, etc. A mix of carbs, protein and healthy fats.

 

[Brightsy]

Thanks, everone. I held off on the appt. I've started a diary and am keeping track of things. I weighed him and will weigh him again in a week or two to see how things are going. Just yesterday he ate like a little piggie, so I could just be overly paranoid.

 

[ireland_nicole]

Not paranoid, just a concerned parent. OTOH, we can all be, shall we say, a little more "hypervigilant" than the average parent. I think you're doing a good job- keep up the good work!

 

[Brightsy]

Thanks!
Y'know, I think one of the less appealing side effects of being a parent w/ spec. needs kids is that vigilance. I can't help but armchair diagnose a kid sometimes. I'll see a child acting differently and find myself looking for those tell-tale signs of a spectrum kid. Often I turn out to be right, more so than when I'm wrong. *sigh* Sometimes it's like I can't just enjoy the innocence of childhood anymore...