Toddler refusing solids

[Poppyseed78]

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[Hank77]

I think at this point I'd be getting a second opinion. But then what do I know I'm not a doctor, just a parent and a grandparent. Our last grandchild was a 28 wk preemie so I may be a little over cautious.

 

[Poppyseed78]

I do plan on getting an assessment from a developmental specialist. He may have a sensory issue, I don't know.

 

[Winken]

Reach out for a 2nd opinion!!! Not just any MD, but one skilled (years of service) in treating the maladies that you describe.

Praying for your son and you !!!

 

[Poppyseed78]

Thank you for your replies. I did some research about feeding therapists, and now I'm more hopeful. I read that eating can vastly improve after just a few sessions. I plan to call the pediatrician and get a referral on Monday. In the meantime I'll keep offering a variety of different foods. I've seen babies as young as 6 months eating scrambled eggs, Cheerios, and avocado chunks. It makes me so discouraged that my son doesn't seem interested.

 

[JAM2b]

My oldest son struggled with solid food for a long time. He would want to drink fluids constantly. There were very few foods that he would eat. We now know that he is on the Autism spectrum, which can cause them to have problems dealing with textures and tastes. He also had ongoing medical issues that were obvious which were contributing to it at that time. He is now 18, and still takes in a lot of fluids, but he also eats plenty of food.

I can tell you from our experience, the more we tried to push food on him, the less he wanted to eat. It became a power struggle. It only got better when I left him alone. I kept good foods available to him and offered it to him. I also had him drinking Carnation Instant Breakfast or Ovaltine in his milk. But I didn't try to force him to eat. As his health improved, he naturally started eating more. A doctor told me that a small child will not starve themselves to death. They will eventually eat.

It's scary, I know. I was also always worried I would be reported for neglecting him, like they would think I wasn't feeding him. Just try to stay calm about it. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be for you child to get through it.

 

[JAM2b]

He won't even eat ice cream from a spoon. He just cries, and if I manage to get any in his mouth, he acts like he doesn't even taste it and keeps on crying until I bring his bottle. I'm really worried and upset over this.

There are a lot of small children who have trouble with ice cream or popsicles. It is often because of how cold it is. If there is a sensory issue, then that can make it worse.

My son used to say "it's too hot." I think what he was referring to is how really cold ice cream can sting, hurt your teeth, or cause brain freeze. From the time he was about a year an half old to about 3 he would flat refuse any ice cream or popsicle.

 

[Poppyseed78]

My oldest son struggled with solid food for a long time. He would want to drink fluids constantly. There were very few foods that he would eat. We now know that he is on the Autism spectrum, which can cause them to have problems dealing with textures and tastes. He also had ongoing medical issues that were obvious which were contributing to it at that time. He is now 18, and still takes in a lot of fluids, but he also eats plenty of food.

I can tell you from our experience, the more we tried to push food on him, the less he wanted to eat. It became a power struggle. It only got better when I left him alone. I kept good foods available to him and offered it to him. I also had him drinking Carnation Instant Breakfast or Ovaltine in his milk. But I didn't try to force him to eat. As his health improved, he naturally started eating more. A doctor told me that a small child will not starve themselves to death. They will eventually eat.

It's scary, I know. I was also always worried I would be reported for neglecting him, like they would think I wasn't feeding him. Just try to stay calm about it. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be for you child to get through it.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm glad to hear your son's eating improved with time. I hope the same is true for my son. I definitely try not to force him to eat because I don't want it to become a power struggle.

 

[look4hope]

Toddler's taste buds are sensitive and ever changing. My kid went through something similar.

 

[myraolive]

My oldest son struggled with solid food for a long time. He would want to drink fluids constantly. There were very few foods that he would eat. We now know that he is on the Autism spectrum, which can cause them to have problems dealing with textures and tastes. He also had ongoing medical issues that were obvious which were contributing to it at that time. He is now 18, and still takes in a lot of fluids, but he also eats plenty of food.

Same thing with us! Our son is very high functioning, so we didn't realize until he was already in school, but looking back I can see the signs. Refusing solid foods (and gagging when he tried them) was one of the earliest.