17 Month Old Does Not Want to Eat!

All I know is when my son acted like this, he ended up having strep. Had it 3 times since Halloween. He's 20 mos.

cows milk, formula, or breast milk? are you still producing breast milk? it could help... some children have intestinal, digesting problems... and after experimenting, many of the moms find they will take in breast milk just fine. if you're still producing some, try that. another suggestion, i know this may sound gross to some women, but you could try goats milk (i live in central america currently and a lot of mothers here use that when their children dont want to keep food or breast milk down... it actually works often times)

sub thought on the strep theory, as i've gotten it at least once a year every year since i was born... it's a possibility, and if you want any confirmation... see if she lets u look at her throat. just take a flashlight and look at her throat/tonsils. if they're even a little red then yeah, take her to the doc. though most people will tell you if she doesnt have a fever it's not strep, that's not true. i only get a fever half of the time i get strep. each person's body reacts to it differently. but a reddened throat/tonsils is uniformal.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time. Feeding issues can be so frustrating because you really have to get them to eat at least a certain minimal amount of food and it seems like it should come more naturally for them to want to eat. We have on child who we've had eating issues with since she was a baby. It might be worth having your doc take a look, just to make sure it's not an ear or tooth presenting in a different way than usual. Also, was your daughter ill around the time she stopped wanting to eat and then it just continued after she was better? Sometimes, especially with stomach viruses, it can take a while for the tummy to get used to eating food again.

I would also look into reflux as a possibility. All of my children had reflux and it can really interfere with their eating if not properly treated (and even then it can be difficult). Over time untreated or poorly controlled reflux can cause erosions in the esophagus - basically sore spots, and then children will often stop or limit their eating. And the milk might be temporarily soothing to the throat (though some refluxers are sensitive to dairy and it might therefore make it worse in the long run). If caught and treated, though, most children with reflux can be made much more comfortable. Obviously, this might not be your answer, but if all else checks out OK, it's worth asking about. I'd probably ask for a referral to a pediatric GI doc who could investigate reflux, swallowing disorders, and other things that might contribute to these symptoms.

Some kids are also just not big eaters, but you should talk to the doc about the minimal amount she needs to be eating to stay healthy. Also, if she really won't eat, ask about using Pediasure (or a generic equivalent), which is like really sweet thick milk and has healthy doses of proteins and vitamins. We had to use this for a while with one of my daughters, and while it's not ideal as a long-term solution, it can help keep the intake up while your investigating what's going on. And since your daughter likes milk, she'll probably take it - my daughter loved it and called it "cake juice."

Best of luck to you and let us know how you make out.

If you are worried take her to the doctor...never doubt your mommy intuition!!! Make sure you write down all of her symptoms, how long it has lasted, and anything else that YOU think may be important. That way you remember everything when you are at the Dr. There are many issues that it could be, or she could just be going through a phase, but it is best to know for sure! Good luck :)

They grow through spells when their appetite is less then plentiful....it could be that they just wanna explore or they arent grow like they did during the first yr...as long as she eats something and isn't acting hungry you should be okay.

Hi! I completely know how frustrating food issues can be. My almost 3 year old has been through every stage. Based on what you described though I would definitely take her to the doctors. As people have mentioned she may have an ear infection (which always diminished my daughter's appetite) or strep or something else. It sounds like if she isn't playing and seems unhappy she needs medical attention as soon as possible. It can be scary but I like to remind myself that the doctor's role is to figure out how to help them feel better.

When my child did this it was strep so if she is not eating she needs to be seen by a dr. ASAP.
good luck
T.

Go to the doctor. If she's not eating, something is wrong. If she stops eating, she will lose weight and she doesn't have a whole lot to lose. Also, take notes before you go. Don't let the doc get the impression that this is a new thing. Be sure he knows there is a problem. (Sometimes they think you are making things bigger than they are -- esp if you walk in proclaiming the diagnosis -- if the doc you see does that, then go to a different one)

Could your little one be cutting their Molars or canine teeth? Every thing down to needing extra cuddles that you have described is exactly the way both of mine were when cutting some of their teeth. Will she eat yogurt, jello,or any cold soft things?

I know you say you can tell when she gets teeth, but I think sometimes the molars and the I-teeth/canines take quite a while to come through compared to the first ones and they seem to feel them the most too. My youngest is now nearly 19 months and has started some of these similar behaviors..she is cutting the canines now.

I would talk with her doctor. If her behavior is out of the norm and it is associated with lack of appetite maybe that is a red flag. Whinning and moaning sound like possible pain. Does she do this after she eats certain foods? If so, Celiac disease causes discomfort after consuming certain food.In any event if she is not herself, I would contact her doctor it may be something else. Trust your judgement!