my two year old says he is hungry but vomits when i try to feed him, he makes himself gag and then vomits,he does it when he wants to do something else, play basketball,watch tv,play with playdo etc...i try to take away distractions but still nothng works..i have also tried letting him watch tv while he eats...he needs to eat... some foods example: eggs he will gag just by seeing them..what do i do? Thanks in advance. please dont tell me that its just a phase because i have no problem getting him to eat sometimes he just makes himself vomit.
thanks for the advice, i will try the counting thing with him, its not just one food, lately he has been sick and just recently he has strarting doing it, i dont think its cause he is sick though, he was just hell bent on not eating no matter what it was.. my little cuz done this for the longest time i think until the age of 3..she would just keep giving it to him..no matter how much he threw it back up..thanks again!
consult a doctor. consider occupational therapy. if you have an hmo insurance then you will have to go through your sons pcp to get an referral.
My suggestion would be to tell him that he may do these activities after he eats, but ONLY after he eats. And he cannot do them at all if he does not eat OR makes himself throw up. You will have to stick to your guns and expect a tantrum (which you may want to put him in his room until he is done crying and wants to come back to the table and eat his food). If he eats, then he can have the reward of doing the activity. If he doesn't, don't make him eat, but don't let him do the activity. He will not starve from you not making him eat a meal. It is more harmful for you to give in and allow him to manipulate the situation by "throwing up" to get his way than for you to allow him to not eat. If he throws up he isn't digesting it either. Trust me, he is 2 and will come around and eat. He is smart or he wouldn't have figured out that all he has to do is throw up to get out of eating and do his activities, so he will soon figure out that all he has to do is eat to get to do his activities. Expect resistance, but stick to your guns. You may want to do it when you know you can really handle the situation or get some back up help from a family member or friend. It won't be fun. Good luck!
Sounds like a control issue. Have you tried very small amounts of food but more times a day?
I have actually seen this before in my god brother when he was small. But it was mostly every time he didn't like what was being served and decided that so he would not have to eat it he would make himself sick. Are you sure he isn't doing this? My daughter tried to do the same thing and I just told her if she threw it up she was going to spend 5 minutes in time out every time she did. She quit quickly when she figured out I was very serious.
Tiffany,
Hey. I hope I don't sound harsh in what I'm going to say, but it sounds like he does it becasue WHEN he does it, you let him have something else.
At 2, I know it's hard to punish them, but I think you should try not worrying about it so much. It's not an allergy right? the food doesn't make him sick, he does it himself? and only when he wants something else - or to do something else?
So try this... Make dinner/lunchbreakfast whatever you normally wqould, and if he does it, just flat out tell him that if he doesn't eat it, he won't get anything until next meal. Children will not let themselves starve. If he gets hungry, he will eat. On the other hand, if it's only 1 food that makes him react this way (eggs) just don't cook eggs anymore.
Good luck!
hello, i agree with donnajean i think he will eat when he's wants he is still young, my sister has a son that didn't eat anything but grill cheese and mac& cheese for the longest time she did make him breakfast lunch and dinner and said if you dont eat you dont get anything else that would kind of work what she did was tell him for example let eats 10 bites and then you can go play and he would do it they would count together. but there are still some foods that he just wont eat. anything red he wont eat. so i know he is only 2 but he does understand what you are saying so i would say just give him the food and if he dont eat than he dont he will eat when he gets hurngy but i would try to count the bites he takes and see if that works. hope this helps.
one thing that u need to do is not stress out about it.... first have him checked out at the dr to make sure nothing is wrong with him.... if he is cleared at by a dr then don't worry about him... at age 2 they will eat when they r hungry.... food is an issue that can cause a great deal of problems in a person's life.... don't make childresn "clean their plate" and don't cause undue stress when it comes to eating.... a child his age will not intentionally starve himself.... he is just wanting to do other things.... don't force him to eat all that he has in front of him.... tell him he has to eat 2 bites of everything then he can go do what he wants to do but try not to stress out.... he can feel ur stress.... yes he needs to eat but he will eat when he is hungry.... hope that helps.... just enjoy him while u can!!!!!!
