Getting 2 Year Old to Eat

I have no advice for you, again I am dealing with the same issue. But I want to thank everyone else for their advice, I am going to steal some of it to pass on to DH.

Hello, My name is R.. I have a 4 year old daughter who just completed feeding therapy at Richmond Children's Hospital Day Program. You can see her at http://www.myspace.com/millerrenee. Her case is a little different she was totally g-tube dependent! She refused pretty much everything. However, in 7 weeks we were able to get her to eat 100% by mouth (all pureeds in her case because she doesn't have the chewing skills yet). Hope you can get some ideas from my videos! The biggest thing for Reanna is the rewards. She loves her DVD player. I reward her with each bite by letting her watch her video! You can also use toys at the table. You just don't give the reward until the bite has been taken. You would be suprised what rewards will do. You should think about joining my yahoo group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/learn_to_eat/. This group was originally designed to share her feeding progress as we were in the program. However, others have requested to join and now it is turning into more of a support group where other people can join and talk about their own challenges with feeding their children.

Sincerely,

R.

I agree with the other moms, 2 year olds don't really eat as much. Their growth levels off a bit. That means your son needs to be eating the best things when he does eat. In our home, we sit down for three meals a day. I try to make them healthy. If the kids don't eat, then they don't eat. We also have snacks, but keep them small, and healthy too, raisins, cheese, crackers. Try to be consistent, let your son be in control about how much he eats, but you choose what the options are. Don't give him too many choices, it's overwhelming. Make him sit down at the table and sit with him to keep him company. If he doesn't eat, let him up and forget about it. He'll eat when he's hungry!

Good luck!

Oh wow you sound just like me. I have tried everything too. I have let him eat in his room in front of the tv and i have also purchased a special table for him. Nothing has worked. I hope we can get some advice!! I need it.

B., I agree with everything the other moms said, but I just wanted to add that not only does their growth start leveling off around 2 years old, but they also continue to go through growth spurts. It's like a cycle that I can very obviously see with my daughter. She will be totally normal for a while, then suddenly start eating me out of house and home. It almost seems like she eats more than I do some days. At the same time, I notice that she starts to sleep a lot more. She is almost 4, and she hasn't taken naps since she was barely 2, but during these times she'll fall asleep on her own for 2 to 4 hours a day and still sleep for 10 to 12 hours at night. This will go on for a week or two, then suddenly stop. Her sleep patterns go back to normal, and her appetite almost disappears. I can hardly get her to taste her food, let alone eat it all. And this is the part I dread because I know within another week or so I'll need to buy her a whole new wardrobe. She seems to grow an inch overnight. So just pay attention to his patterns, and you may notice this same type of cycle. It's perfectly normal.

He's controling you with his screaming. He will eventually eat when he's really hungry. Two year olds don't need that much food. Food for that age is still measured in tablespoons and half cups. Just give him the meals and snacks you have planned on and he will eventually eat what you give him. If you're really worried that he's losing weight, call your pediatrician.

Children will not starve themselves, they will eat when they are hungry, even if it not something that they necessarily care for. I would stop letting him make choices about what he gets to eat. If he says he is hungry maybe give him a choice, of some cheese and crackers or a granola bar. I have seen so many parents just like yourself, who are worried about this child eating and will give them whatever just so that they will eat, but it is very bad. Children may pitch a tantrum, but in the long one, they will develop better eating habits and be healthier as they grow up which is so much more important. Just remember he will not let himself starve, he might pout if you don't give him what he wants, but eventually he will eat what you are offering and will be satisfied with that. I used to at dinner if my daughter said she wasn't hungry anymore, and had barely touched her food, I said fine and she would be excused from the table, but if she wanted something to eat later, I kept her plate either in the fridge or on the stove, and that would be what she would get. She complained a little at first, but now she knows if she wants dessert, or anything other than dinner as a snack, she needs to eat what is on her plate. This has worked for her so far, and maybe it will help your little one.

My now 3 year old used to eat like there was no tomorrow. When she hit 2, her appetite really decreased and it worried me. I talked to her ped and she explained to me that kids growth starts leveling off when they hit 2. When they are little they might gain 2-3 pounds in a month. When they hit 2, they start gaining 1-2 pounds a year. So don't be so afraid about his appetite dwindling. Just keep trying to put the good foods in front of him. He will eat when he's hungry. Maybe have a talk with grandma about giving him better foods (I know that's not always the easiest conversation!). But I agree with the other response, don't let him control you with the screaming. If he asks for something, then won't eat it, the next time he asks for something tell him he has to eat what you've already put out for him before he can have something else. He'll probably scream at you. But he'll get it eventually, and he'll eat eventually too. Good luck.