Hi everyone. I am concerned that my 21 month old son is barely eating solid foods and mainly wants milk, juice, or water. He isn't teething, sick, or has a fever. He has been a picky eater and will eat chicken nuggets, french fries, eggs, rice, yogurt, pancakes when he feels like it. He is 22 1/2 pounds which is on the small side for his age. The pediatrician ran bloodwork and everything came back normal and he is growing at a healthy rate. Has any one been through this? I have a 4 year old daughter and she didn't have eating issues like this at his age. We tried giving him Pediasure, but he knows the difference between that and milk. Even if we mix the Pediasure and milk, he won't drink it. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
http://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/articles.asp?id=549
This is what's posted on my Fridge. I TRY to live up to it
The things he likes seem to have similar soft textures, so I wonder if he is just bothered by different food textures. The website below has some tips that you might find helpful in expanding his diet a little.
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/picky-eaters.html
Good luck- I have a picky eater too, and I know how frustrating it can be. If the website's tips don't help enough, consider seeing a nutritionist. They can be really good at suggesting calorie dense foods that he may go for based on what he already likes. An occupational therapist can also help if he needs more help in accepting different textures.
Hope it helps!
Best wishes =o)
I would cut back on milk & juice. I think we all tend to load up on the milk when they don't eat much because we "try to get something into them". I think sometimes, kids with small appetites don't eat much because there's no room left after they load up on milk. Cut back on the milk and see if his appetite improves.
One of my kids got pretty picky early on and I gave him protein shakes. I'd put in a banana, milk, whatever fruit I had handy, some egg white protein powder and voila! He loved it. You could even freeze it a little and give it to him like ice cream! Yummy!!!
Try not to worry. As my Dad would have said, "this too shall pass". :)
Check into selective eating disorder. Mine started around this age.. it didn't get really bad until I was 2.. after a hospital stay with a stomach virus.. They didn't know if it was the virus or just because until 2 you don't really get introduced to much as far as solids go.. That's seriously all I would eat, that and fried chicken.. it's not just an aversion to foods it's a all out fear and no amount of forcing will make it better.. Look into it and then ask your doc.
Stop all of the juice and offer only fruits. keep trying different things like tofu and avacado. Sweet potatoes are an excellent souce of lots of good vitamins also. Offer foods before milk when he is more likely hungry and give him milk only after he has had a chance to eat. He does not need a lot of water, so watch that intake.
Remember that your doctor said he is fine and don't get upset or pressure him. Instead, have meal time be fun.
my child didnt and still dont like the way solid food feels in her mouth. ive found making sure everything is cut up in very small bites helps. or if you make a roast make sure it really tender, easy to chew.
she still wont sit and eat a whole plate full of food i often have to tell her 4 more bites then you can get up she would try to push back but i stood my ground. or if ya wanna go the hard way only offer the food you want him to eat...when hes hungry enough he will eat it.
He'll get there :) takes a while for him to get the idea that this solid food will make that hungry feeling in his tummy go away also.
My 2 year old doesn't like crunchy, hard to chew foods much. If I give her cooked veggies in small bites she is good with those (sometimes I have to feed her a few extra bites). She also likes beans. I have been reducing her milk slowly since she was about 12-15 months.
My kids like gummy vitamins. You can get vitamins from the doctor but the gummy ones are not fight. Since you are not too far from us, we get my kids' favorite vitamins (Natural Kingdom) from a mall stand at the Bergen Town Center mall (on Route 4). If you ever go up to the Van Saun Park zoo it's right on the way. I think they also have a web site. The zoo is nice on cooler days, not full summer sun ones.
