Toddlers that won't eat properly

[Barney Trubble]

How do you get a 20month old toddler to eat properly?

 

He has no issues with his bottles of milk but he can be a real handful when trying to feed him something more solid. The cheeky bugger tends to allow me to place the food in his mouth but then on purpose lets it drop out of his mouth or starts to make himself sick - which can be quite worrying.

 

He loves porridge and rice (when he's in the mood) but seems to be very funny about his food in general.

 

I have tried techniques to distract him and they sometimes work, he loves to watch animals so I put a wildlife DVD on for him at some meal times which seems to help but other times he just won't swallow and either cries or becomes very bloody-minded

[bridge too far]

If it helps - my grandson has just had a non-eating episode. Up until then, he'd eat for Great Britain but he suddenly started turning down all his favourite stuff.

 

They all go through this phase but, rest assured, no toddler ever starves to death! Don't give in to him by giving him 'treats' but just take his food away if he starts playing up. It's hard on the parents but he'll soon cotton on.

 

Having said all that, it turned out my grandson had an ear infection, so eating was actually causing him some discomfort. A short course of antibiotics and he's back to his normal appetite.

 

And my granddaughter went off food at about 2 years for a while too. So, once you've established he's OK and healthy, then try what I've suggested above. Obviously, if it goes on for any great length of time, it might be an idea to talk to your doctor / health visitor.

 

Good luck!

[sussexsaint]

Good luck, people will tell you 'it's the parents' till they are blue in the face but it just isn't. I have one thar eats anything- animal vegetable or mineral and one that is the fussiest bugger in the world. He would rather starve himself to the point of fainting than eat something he doesn't want

[Saint-scooby]

My 4 went hungry if they did not like what was offered to them, no treats or snacks several hours prior to meal time, was the rule. Also avoid sugary drinks and juice, they are quite clever at that age and can be quite vocal if they dont get what they want.

One trick I did learn was to dress the food up, make a face with peas and mash, write their name on the egg when boiling them etc.

Their favorite food one day could be the food they hate the next.

[Baj]

easier when you've got two. If my youngest (3) wont eat, I just offer the food to his elder brother who will eat anything. The littlest soon wants it back

[Amesbury Saint]

My daughter, when 2 ish, had eating days and non eating days.

Offer the food, dont shout or make a drama of it, and leave it on the table. They may got back later.

[dubai_phil]

Don't let them watch Fashion TV with all those size zero models?

 

Or as we did when mine were fussy, offer it, then take it away and carry on eating. Tough love worked (in our situation) if it persists google an expert

[Mmm Donuts]

Well we are all different, I'm not sure the books always reflect that. I know it gets really messy, but this is what health visitors are suggesting now (not with my eldest two though). Put the bowl in front of them and let them feed themselves, or even play with their food. It goes against the grain 'cos we then tell them not to play with their food. However, my daughter is now 3 and has no probs. Good luck

[Special K]

http://www.parentingscience.com/picky-eaters.html

 

Interesting reading.

[Barney Trubble]

If it helps - my grandson has just had a non-eating episode. Up until then, he'd eat for Great Britain but he suddenly started turning down all his favourite stuff.

 

They all go through this phase but, rest assured, no toddler ever starves to death! Don't give in to him by giving him 'treats' but just take his food away if he starts playing up. It's hard on the parents but he'll soon cotton on.

 

Having said all that, it turned out my grandson had an ear infection, so eating was actually causing him some discomfort. A short course of antibiotics and he's back to his normal appetite.

 

And my granddaughter went off food at about 2 years for a while too. So, once you've established he's OK and healthy, then try what I've suggested above. Obviously, if it goes on for any great length of time, it might be an idea to talk to your doctor / health visitor.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks. I did a check of his temperature, checked his tonsils etc and all seemed fine. His temperature was quite high but nothing that alarmed me too much. The funny thing is that he's not a big fan of treats, he gets more chocolate over his fingers, mouth, table etc than he actually manages to eat and he tends to leave crisps and sweets.

 

Good luck, people will tell you 'it's the parents' till they are blue in the face but it just isn't. I have one thar eats anything- animal vegetable or mineral and one that is the fussiest bugger in the world. He would rather starve himself to the point of fainting than eat something he doesn't want

 

Yes, I know, there is a tendency to assume that if you can't feed your kid, then you are a failure

 

My 4 went hungry if they did not like what was offered to them, no treats or snacks several hours prior to meal time, was the rule. Also avoid sugary drinks and juice, they are quite clever at that age and can be quite vocal if they dont get what they want.

One trick I did learn was to dress the food up, make a face with peas and mash, write their name on the egg when boiling them etc.

Their favorite food one day could be the food they hate the next.

 

Thanks. He seems to love certain things and then will eat nothing else, noodles and rice seems to be the only thing he is prepared to eat at times.

 

easier when you've got two. If my youngest (3) wont eat, I just offer the food to his elder brother who will eat anything. The littlest soon wants it back

 

Good tactic Baj. I will try that with his mom.

 

My daughter, when 2 ish, had eating days and non eating days.

Offer the food, dont shout or make a drama of it, and leave it on the table. They may got back later.

 

I would do that but his mom is a lot more anxious than I am. If he doesn't take a mouthful of food then she thinks that he's suffering. I am sure that if she left him alone then he'll come round soon enough. Then again, maybe sometimes you have to force feed them but that could just put him off food even further.

 

Don't let them watch Fashion TV with all those size zero models?

 

Or as we did when mine were fussy, offer it, then take it away and carry on eating. Tough love worked (in our situation) if it persists google an expert

 

He's fine, he's tough as old rope and I do take it away but I think he's a bloody minded little bugger at times and refuses to give in.

 

Well we are all different, I'm not sure the books always reflect that. I know it gets really messy, but this is what health visitors are suggesting now (not with my eldest two though). Put the bowl in front of them and let them feed themselves, or even play with their food. It goes against the grain 'cos we then tell them not to play with their food. However, my daughter is now 3 and has no probs. Good luck

 

Thanks. I've tried playing with his food and he looks at me in a confused manner as if to say "Do you think i'm a toddler, grow up" lol

 

http://www.parentingscience.com/picky-eaters.html

 

Interesting reading.

 

Thanks. A good read.

[TopGun]

Try lion dung.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Hit them.

[bridge too far]

Update: my grandson is back to being difficult! However, he's on his second course of antibiotics so this ear infection is obviously causing him more pain than we realised.

 

However, yesterday, having refused to eat shepherds pie (normally a nailed on favourite), I was amazed to see how his dad got him to eat. The little chap is besotted with 'Dora the Explorer' at the moment, and his dad created a whole scene where 'Dora' (just a picture of the character) 'ate' some of his dinner and 'told' him to do the same.

 

It worked - but his dad has the patience of a saint (he's a junior school teacher).

 

Beats the old 'here comes the train into the tunnel' ruse hands down

[Jonnyboy]

Update: my grandson is back to being difficult! However, he's on his second course of antibiotics so this ear infection is obviously causing him more pain than we realised.

 

However, yesterday, having refused to eat shepherds pie (normally a nailed on favourite), I was amazed to see how his dad got him to eat. The little chap is besotted with 'Dora the Explorer' at the moment, and his dad created a whole scene where 'Dora' (just a picture of the character) 'ate' some of his dinner and 'told' him to do the same.

 

It worked - but his dad has the patience of a saint (he's a junior school teacher).

 

Beats the old 'here comes the train into the tunnel' ruse hands down

 

That one works better on the ladies I find.

[Fuengirola Saint]

How do you get a 20month old toddler to eat properly?

 

 

Give the little ****er a slap, HTH ;-)

[ericofarabia]

Update: my grandson is back to being difficult! However, he's on his second course of antibiotics so this ear infection is obviously causing him more pain than we realised.

 

However, yesterday, having refused to eat shepherds pie (normally a nailed on favourite), I was amazed to see how his dad got him to eat. The little chap is besotted with 'Dora the Explorer' at the moment, and his dad created a whole scene where 'Dora' (just a picture of the character) 'ate' some of his dinner and 'told' him to do the same.

 

It worked - but his dad has the patience of a saint (he's a junior school teacher).

 

 

Beats the old 'here comes the train into the tunnel' ruse hands down

 

Although very quaint and feely touchy nice .... maybe this is a sign of Namby Pamby Britain. Tail wagging the Dog.

[bristolsaint29]

I have the most stubborn son in the world, some days he will eat everything on the plate other days just look at it and say that's disgusting! If he doesn't wanty it he gets nothing else but if he eats his tea he always gets a nice pudding(Thomas the tank engine yoghurt or such like)

 

If he asks for a nice pudding after not eating we will tell him why and will more often than not go back tio the table after we explain he can only have this if he eats his tea. If he has a tantrum the tea goes in the bin and he can scream as much as he wants. He is now eating much betyter and will try most things(calamari and whitebait last weekend).

 

As mentioned he will never starve himself, my niece is 4 and a half and all she ever wants is ham sandwiches.

[bridge too far]

Although very quaint and feely touchy nice .... maybe this is a sign of Namby Pamby Britain. Tail wagging the Dog.

 

Utter, utter tosh! He doesn't usually have any problems eating but he has a nasty ear infection and obviously it actually hurts him to eat - hence the distraction technique.

 

I'll sign off by saying that if food becomes an issue in early life, it can remain so. My oldest daughter had real issues with food from a very early age. She was anorexic from the age of 14 until she was about 25 and it was the most awful time in her life and my family's life. Thankfully she overcame it in the end.

 

But anorexics use (lack of) food as a method of control (of their own lives) in the same way as toddlers can use the refusal of food as a method of control over their parents.