Concerned about my daughter

[jessicatunnel]

Lilly has been sick the last week and we haven't been able to get her to eat anything for the past four days. The most she has eaten was some strawberries in the morning and at night and she threw those up. :/
She's noticeably lost weight. She looks so thin and it's very worrying. We took her to the doctor and they weren't at all concerned about her weight (she's only 27lbs) and said she will eat when she's ready. They told us if we were really concerned to just give her things she really likes even if it's junk food. We've offered her favorite meals, snacks, even things like chocolates and ice cream and she won't eat any of it. Today she finally ate half of her cereal for breakfast which is amazing, considering she has practically had nothing the last four days.
I'm just very worried about her weight. When she starts eating again will she gain it back?

Is there anything we can do to encourage her to eat again?

 

[Feff]

Sorry that she's not feeling well I hope she starts eating soon! I bet you're so worried but I think it's a case of wait until she's ready really. Could you try her with smoothies or paedisure? X

 

[jessicatunnel]

Thank you.

We have pediasure but she won't even try it. :/
I made her a smoothie last night and she drank 3 sips of it. Maybe I will try that again today.
Thanks for your suggestions! She's feeling better today so I'm hoping it's not too much longer until she starts eatin again.

 

[seoj]

Ah, sorry hun- the last time my LO got a horrid tummy bug she was up all night, and it took days for her to eat normal again. I know it's common- but still worrying. I would make sure she's getting enough liquids that she's not dehydrated- and just keep offering- and if today she seems better and eats more, then that is a great sign. If it get's worse- then I'd go back to the doc (just in case)... Hope she' all better soon!!! Hugs.

My LO had the tummy bug (again) yesterday! Lucky it wasn't AS bad as last time- and she ate a little banana and crackers last night. But seeing our kids sick just sucks.

And yes- she'll put weight back on... my LO lost weight last time too, but was totally fine within a week. Shoot- when I get the bug I lose weight and take several days to feel back to normal.

 

[Itsychik]

sorry to hear she's not feeling well... it's so frustrating when there isn't anything we can do!

Not sure what kind of smoothie you made, but my DS LOVES strawberries and the one thing that usually 'guarantees' he will eat is pureeing some strawberries and adding some yogurt and a little milk.

Otherwise will she eat any soup? When my DS refuses to eat anything warm I've made gazpacho/cold soup and just pureed/blended all the ingredients together so he didn't get picky about any pieces and he liked to drink that.

Hope she starts feeling better

 

[RachA]

Yes she'll put the weight back on so try not to worry too much. It seems worse because they are so little and it shows more when they loose weight.
As long as she is drinking I would worry too much.

Just remember how you feel if you've had a bad sickness bug and that's how she's been feeling. I've had a bug since the Monday before Christmas and yesterday was the first day I actually ate 3 meals-most of the days I'd only been eating a small amount of 2 meals per day.

 

[jessicatunnel]

Thank you ladies. She is eating more today than she has the last few days but still not a whole lot. I just keep offering her food and hoping she eats it.
It makes it worse that my 11 month old looks bigger than she does right now!

 

[annio84]

I would just offer her little and often and probably nothing too ''exciting''. If her tummy still feels a bit dodgy she might just eat a small amount but might be ready for the next bit sooner than her next meal would normally be. I don't know if it's an option but maybe giving her milky drinks as well, hot or cold, if she's still drinking well.

Hope she's better soon.

 

[MiniKiwi]

Poor little thing. My DD was like this recently and all she would eat was grapes, I don't usually give juice but I tried that and she had a little. I wouldn't stress about her losing weight from this though, she'll probably eat everything in sight once she's feeling better

 

[x__amour]

Just keep offering like you are, it'll pick up.

 

[minties]

I have no advice, just well wishes. Poor wee poppet. Hope she continues to perk up. And 27lbs doesn't sound too drastically teeny tiny I think that is just over 12kg which would be above 25th centile for her age if I'm counting the months right.

 

[jessicatunnel]

The thing about her weight though is that she's only gained 1lb since her last checkup 7 months ago. But I'm not sure how accurate that is since she did lose weight while being sick. That concerned me the most I think.

Yesterday she ate more than she has the past few days but not a lot. But she did come into our room last night at 230am and asked to eat over and over. So I took her downstairs and made her some food. She ate it all and asked for seconds and had some fruit afterwards. I was so happy! She's still asleep now since she was wide awake from 230-6am (omg I'm so tired!) So I haven't had a chance to see if she will eat anything today but I'm really hoping she will. I was so glad she ate something I just wish it hadn't been at 230 in the morning! She stayed up just playing and bothering me and daddy, moving all over the bed, singing etc. So she's definitely feeling better. Haha.

Thank you ladies!

She's 31 months (I think, lol). I meant to ask the doctor her percentile the other day but I forgot. If it is 25th, that makes me feel better about her weight. Thanks for calculating that minties!

 

[Bex84]

We have had same thing. My daughter had an absolutely horrid stomach bug and no appetite. She isn't big anyway so had nothing to loose. She looks so skinny. About 3 days after bug she wants food, asking in night and begging constantly for toast. They put in back on. I remember as a child been I'll and loosing loads of weight and the body goes in starvation mode so as soon as eat it starts to lay fat stores in order to prevent happening again. Evolutionary from when humans may go periods of time searching for food. Hope your lo has appetite back now

 

[minties]

I think 25th is 11.9kg for 31 months and your daughter was like 12.1kg or something like that when I translated lbs to metric .

So good to hear she woke up hungry, shame it had to be at 2:30am though, you must be exhausted!