18 Month Old Will Not Eat

Forget about the baby food at 18 months. Just continue to offer him a variety of healthy foods and let him eat what he wants. All kids go through this to some extent around this age and the important thing to remember is that NO kid will starve himself. If the food is there, he will eat when he needs to. If you make it a battle of wills, it will become more difficult.

Try steaming carrot sticks, green beans, cauliflower, broc. etc. until just tender enough to be finger foods. If necessary, serve with ranch dressing to dip.

I found that my kids often did better with "non-bland" foods. Seriously...my second daughter ate beef barbeque when she was about 8 months old. So I'd encourage you to serve to your son whatever you are eating, don't exclude "spicy" foods. Just watch the salt and empty calories (boxed mac&cheese, Ramen noodles, hot dogs, and yes, waffles...try whole grain waffles at the very least).

With all of my kids, I served a VERY small amount of food at this age. Like 2-3 bites of each food for the meal. If food got tossed off the high chair, that was the end of the meal. No theatrics or strong emotions from me...just "oh, I see you aren't interested in eating, so I'll just take your plate away." Fairly quickly they realized that if they wanted to eat, they had better not throw food. Just make sure to incorporate other playtime activities to explore gravity.

The suggestions for using dip and for using divided serving trays (like ice cube trays) all great. I'd encourage you to try them. Tupperware makes covered ice cube trays, which are great if you want to make a "snack tray" that you can offer for mid meal snacks, and then cover up leftovers to save for a later snack time.

Good luck!

Jenn

I have an 18 month old as well. I have been giving her whatever she likes to eat so that she associate meal times as fun instead of a battle. Then I work in healthier options as I can. Most people that eat with us comment that she has become a great eater. Other than the foods you mentioned, here are some things that are a sure "win" to get her to sit down for a meal.

Ramen noodles
pudding
any kind of fruit
Gerber puffs, dried fruit, or yogurt snacks
raisins or cranberries (she loves the little boxes)
pepperoni
bagel chips or melba toast
sweet potato french fries
corn (at first only if I added plenty of butter and salt, I am working on transitioning to plain)
hot dogs
... that's all I can think of right now.

Some other things that have helped are presenting the food in a divided container. Sometimes I've used ice cube trays. Any kind of dipping sauce like ketchup, yogurt, or hummus. Or not putting a new food on her plate, but instead playing up how much I like it and offering her some from my plate.

Good luck!

I know your pain/fear/frustration of a child not wanting to eat anything. Take heart in the fact that they will eat when hungry. I allowed my oldest to see my frustration a bit and it only made her more stubborn.

We told her she had one alternative to not eating what had been made for dinner: peanut butter on bread. If she chose not to eat, she went to bed early. It made for hard weeks here and there, but it worked. In the end, she only went to bed hungry once. I hated doing that, but she saw that I was serious and realised on her own that she was only punishing herself.

Another thing that really helped was including her when deciding what was for dinner (sometimes we had interesting meals) and letting her help make it. She liked knowing what went into her food, which demystified whatever it was she thought she did not like.

Whatever you decide, stick with it. Never give in out of frustration so you can get away fromt he table. Any strong willed child picks up on that and will cling to it. Keep reminding yourself that your child will eat when hungry and that might not be exactly when you want. Good luck. Think of the good times. :)

Dr. told me at this age to concentrate on power packed good food and not to worry about quantity.

some of this comes with the age.

HI K.,
Is he drinking milk from a sippy or bottle still? Maybe too much and he's not hungry enough? I would keep offering him everything and take his cues. Kids have to try a LOT of times before they actually "like" and are familiar with a food. Also, take notice of whether he seems interested in what you're eating and if he is offer him what he seems interested in.

As for the throwing it on the floor--I think that is a common phase of experimenting with cause & effect. Just keep offering more--put small pieces on his plate/tray & replace it with more when he tosses them. Remember to expect a mess--can you put an old sheet or newspaper on the floor around his highchair to make clean-up easier? Hang in there.

My son favored only certain things at that age, but I have to say, he has turned into a 5 year old who will literally eat ANYTHING (except Big Red gum--seriously!). Some of the stuff he wants makes me cringe--after his last t-ball game, he chose a Tabasco Slim Jim (yuk!) and he loved it!
Good luck!

Congratulations for continuing to present the food at dinner...keep that up and ignore when he throws the food. I don't agree about the MD's answer that that is a typical toddler diet...you can't get enough nutrition for good brain development from that, and there are therapists out there who can help you work on this issue. I would seek out some early intervention and that will get you some help to change eating habits now to develop into healthier habits later. Good luck!!

I have a 15 month old who will only eat chicken sticks and beef hot dogs-- she''ll eat her cheerios ( of course) and a little fruit her and there... but LOVES those dogs! I think it is a phase they go through and not to worry too much. I was concerned about Mackenzie not getting enough nutrition and so I got her Pediasure drinks-- they come in different flavors and have vitamins and other important nutrients in them. I keep trying to give her other foods and introduce her to new things all the time-- but for now we are stuck on the hot dogs and oh, the cheddar crunchies from Gerber graduates.Hopefully, this phase won't last too long.LOL Good luck!

This is completely typical for a child this age. Stop giving him jar baby food and continue giving table food with you. Let him pick and explore and eat what he wants. Part of it is a dip in growth, the lull before the spurt. Part of it is a control issue. Do not allow him to throw his food on the floor and if he does be sure to discipline him and have him help pick up the mess. His actions follow with consequences. The minute he throws his food is the minute he should be removed from the table and he is done eating. You can give him half a chewable vitamin every day to supplement anything he may be missing from meals. Don't stress it. :)

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat

Don't worry about it. I know that seems easier to hear than swallow, but if your son is growing, than you are okay. I have a 2 1/2 year old (his 11 month old sister eats more than him) that we struggle with in terms of food. My husband gets very upset, but I've decided to let it go. When he was a baby, he would eat ANYTHING. Then, nothing, then anything and now we are back to almost nothing. I offer him what we are having for dinner. That's it. He gets to pick breakfast and snacks. Sometimes, the problem is that he is just too interested in something else to eat, so it usually takes us 45 minutes to an hour at the table. Sometimes he'll get down having eaten nothing, other times, I'll feed him his plate and still yet, other times he'll feed himself.
The key to remember, kids change their minds a lot. Today, broccili is his favorite favorite, but tomorrow "I don't like it." So, if he doesn't like something one day, it doesn't mean he'll feel the same way tomorrow.
Another thing I do is, I make the food a little bit blander than normal, and my husband and I add salt, pepper, hot peppers, whatever at the table. After he starts to eat the bland solids, slowly add a little more seasoning so that he can adjust.
If he loves apple sauce, make oatmeal, add applesauce (and cinnamon if you want) and I'm sure you're son will love it. If you use the non-quick oats, they have a bit more texture, so it might help him to become more adjusted to eating solids.
I know this rambled, but I hope it helped.

If you take away all of the baby food from your house and give your son only what you eat for dinner than he will have no choice but to eat what you eat. If a child is hungry enough they will eat! My son is only allowed to eat what we eat and because of it, he will eat mushrooms, zucchini, tacos, etc. Get rid of the baby food and explain to your son that if he's hungry, he eats what's in front of him. Hold your ground or else the eating battle will be a lifetime one! Good luck!

Hi K.,

I hate to say it, but it's just a phase. My son did the same thing and I would cry because I was so frustrated. Just keep offering him healthy foods and if he wants only one thing - keep giving it to him. My doctor said not to keep making him different meals - just offer him what you are making. He will come around. My son is now 2.5 and eats everything. Hand in there - he will come around. Oh, when my son went through this phase, we put him on a vitamin. Ask your doctor what they suggest.

Good luck,

Deb

Hi. My son Tanner (14 months) sounds just like your little man. I'd love to simply get rid of the baby food but I can't bare to see him go without a good meal. He is tiny already (5-10th percentile). So I have found that I have to offer him the same thing quite often. I give up for a few days and then bring it back out. Sometimes it works and sometimes, I waste a lot of food. I also found that Tanner does not like to touch anything wet or slimy - so I got toddler forks and now he will occasionally eat (take a few bites/sucks) things like fresh pineapple, peaches, or brocolli -- but he also likes to fling the food off for my dogs, they win too! I have just accepted that the toddler eating stage is going to be challenging for us and quite messy (I think my 2 dogs are enjoying it though). Good luck. There's some great advice out there.

Don't wait too long to seek help if you think there's a problem. There's a difference between a 'picky toddler' who did the table food thing and decided what he/she liked or disliked and then there are children who do not make the "transition to table food" at all. Make sure that you explain that difference to your pediatrican. He could possibly have reflux. Does he gag on thicker textures?
My sister's son is 2&1/2.. his diet is pretty much your son's diet(chick nuggets, waffles, baby food and yogurt)... he is taking meds for his reflux and is getting feeding therapy through Early Intervention.

Wow, I don't agree with tolerating throwing food on the floor. I didn't let either of my boys do that! I disciplined that action immediately with a firm verbal no and then a time out if it persisted. I did have picky eaters and if your doctor says this is what it is (NOT a medical issue) then I do have some suggestions for you. Present kid friendly foods as have been mentioned and a vegetable and make sure that there is at least one item that you know he will eat on his plate. Then, forget about it. Eventually he will begin to try things, but it may take a while. Completely cut out snacks and any juices between meals and only present milk and juice with his meal times. Offer water in between. (I found if my boys had just one juice as a snack, dinner was blown.) So,this worked well for me, but it did take a while. Just hang in there and don't cave to the short order chef routine. That just isn't fair for any mom! I have to note again though, if there is anything medical going on here, then disregard my advice! There are food allergies and all kinds of behavior/ food sensitivities that I don't mean to dismiss. Make sure your pediatrician rules out anything medical in nature. Good luck!

Dear K.
Not to worry,that to me seems typical. My daugher is 2 and 1/2 and we now eat a full meal. At that time she would eat only one choice at meal time. It was a miracle to get her sit and eat without a fight. So I would chase her around and stick food on her mouth. I have early intervention with a nutricionist and she always suggested to continue to offer the same foods and eventually they will eat it. I know I threw alot of food away but she now will eat what she wouldnt then. She ate gnocchi with pesto sauce at that age,which I thought was weird and hot dogs skinned and cut up and eggs (runny),cheese,deli turkey,but just keep trying and/or contact a nutricionist if you feel you need more help on this issue. My daughter loves Cambells chicken noodle soup and has since she was a baby,soup is good food.try it!
Good Luck!

Hey K.

My 3 1/2 year old eats chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, occassionally cheerios, PB&J, bananas and other fruit on occasion, on occasion a waffle or spaghett, oh and pizza and fries. My pediatrician laughed and called it the toddler diet. If he isn't losing weight, don't stress. He'll eat what he wants, when he's hungry. Just keep offering him something he likes as well as something different and maybe eventually he will actually try something new.

K.-

Hi! I read your post. Has your son lost any weight? Have you considered a feeding program for him? I work for a business which provides feeding programs and consultations. Feel free to email me and I can provide you with additional information: ____@____.com.

Thanks,
E.

How can you find help locally for your child?
If your child is having difficulty with mealtimes, help is available! Clarity Behavioral is one of a few local services for intensive feeding and meal time intervention.
Most parents take mealtime for granted as they cook, serve, clean up after their children and provide nutrition in the process. But for some families, mealtime is much harder and heartbreaking. Up to one third of typically developing children and their families experience mealtime difficulties. These potentially serious issues are much more common for those with autism spectrum disorders - many of these youngsters experience feeding concerns... While the causes of these problems are complex, the effect is clear: it can be difficult if not impossible for parents to feed their child. Additionally, the child may experience nutritional deficits or a failure of oral motor skills to develop normally. While the problem is alarming, effective treatments are available locally.

What are effective treatments for feeding concerns?
Physicians' primary solutions for severe feeding problems include use of a gastrointestinal tube (g-tube) or naso-gastrointestinal tube (ng-tube). However, behavioral interventions have been successful in augmenting and in many cases eliminating tube feedings for children who are tube dependent. In this approach, the focus is on teaching specific behaviors and skills such as increasing bite acceptances, reducing refusals, and improving tolerance or increasing acceptance of textured foods. Such intensive programs report very high levels of success in areas including increased caloric consumption by mouth, decreasing bottle or tube dependence, fewer inappropriate mealtime behaviors like tantrums, and increased texture or variety of foods consumed. And, the improvements in quality of life for the family are immeasurable.

How does behavioral intervention work?
At times, a consultation model of advising parents is appropriate. For other children, a short intensive period of multi-day intervention may be helpful in the home or in a clinic setting. However, for many more serious cases, participation takes 2-4 weeks and begins with a detailed assessment, involves intensive treatment, includes a caregiver training program and is concluded with follow-up consultation.

Who can help?
Clarity is a group of dedicated professionals that provide effective and caring Feeding, Applied Behavior Analysis and Verbal Behavior consulting, training, and intervention in southeastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey.
Dr. Robyn M. Catagnus, the founder and Director of Clarity Behavioral, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Certified Brain Injury Specialist with and EdD in Special Education from Arcadia University. Her specialized training in Behavior Analysis included a MSEd Degree in ABA from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Dr. Sean Casey, Director of the Clarity Feeding Program, is a behavioral feeding expert and Assistant Professor at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Casey received his PhD in Special Education from the University of Iowa. His clinical work includes consultation for behavioral disorders, educational programming, and pediatric feeding concerns.
In addition to our feeding assessments and treatment, Clarity staff also conducts behavioral and curricular assessments, as well as home programming and school support.