My son won't eat

[Tantan]

I am so fed up trying to get my 10 year old son to eat. Since he's been born he has been a picky eater and was slow to gain weight. We have attend the doctor and hospital to make sure there are no health reasons for him not gaining weight. And all the tests have come back clear.

We seem to have consent battles with him, trying to get him to eat and at this stage I feel like I can't take anymore. As I said he is aged 10 nearly 11. Heis in aged 8 clothes and weights about 3 stone.

I would really appreciate any suggestions on how to get him to eat and put on weight.

 

[katealim]

If your son is just a picky eater and not eating because he will only eat certain things then you might try what we did with our daughter. She is 9 going on 10 and is quite petite...was a really picky eater...complained alot and ate really slow when she didn't like what was on the plate.

Sooo...we compromised with her. We allowed her a list of 3 things that she didn't like that we would never make for her and in return she had to eat what was made for her. She is allowed to change the things on her list but not durring a meal. I did this as it made sense to me...there are things I don't like and therefore don't eat so I figured she should have that same luxury.

Don't know if it was the feeling of having some control, (as all tweens love this) or if it was just compromising and levelling with her, but this is working for us. Hope things work out for you I know how frustrating it can be to have a picky eater but remember that he won't starve and know that you're obviously doing all you can to ensure he is healthy, (since you have ruled out medical reasons for his less than ideal eating habits)!

 

[BigZai]

I read an article about this and they gave these choices
1. Let them eat what they want it might just be a stage
2. Offer what you made for dinner and if they dont eat it then they will eat when they get hungry
3. Try new recipes
4. get them involved with shopping and cooking
5. Don't let them eat snack or drink juice (or soda)

Also if doctors aren't worried about his size you shouldn't either some kids are naturally thin and their bodies will change when puberty happens

 

[tulong]

I have a sister who is really picky (She has a list of 17 things that she will eat...and most of them are similar foods ex: pancakes and waffles). Anyways, we never understood her pickiness until she went to the orthodontist and we learned that she has a tongue thrust. Because of her tongue thrust she has to chew her food until it is basically pureed or she can't swallow it. (a tongue thrust is when you don't swallow properly, instead you put your tongue against your front teeth and then swallow...try it, it is super hard). Anyways, because of that she only likes soft food that is quick and easy to chew. Your son's pickiness might be coming from something else like that. But it is possible that he is just picky, like my three other siblings lol. Good luck! It is possible that eventually he might outgrow it.

 

[meli1981]

my six year old daughter is the exact same way. shes been picky since day one. most days she will just eat peanut butter sammys! ive gone to the dietician and all they really say is to keep introducing foods until she tries them. however when imdo this shes so scared of the food she starts to cry, and i give in. ive tried hiding foods in foods i know shell eat, and then also offering it on the side. for example putting purreed sweet pot in her mac and cheese, and offerring swwet pot on the side. if the tastes are similar she doesnt even notice. ive also done cauliflower in reg mased potatoes. i do make sure to give her vitamins and she drinks pediasure for the vitamins, minerals, and the extra calories. there are probably recipes you can find on the internet, google jessica seinfeld, she has some recipes books for picky kids. hope it helped! good luck!

 

[andrada321]

Hey,a good way to get him to eat i'ts by showing him some nice cartoons for his age ,or something like that.He would enjoy that and start eating

 

[weebun]

my son is coming up to 9 in a few days and from the age of 3 has been a nightmare with food. terrible, at wits end. Won't try anything new. we have tears and everything when he does sometimes, but he has surprised us with a few likes, but only a few in the last 5 years he is about 4 stone if that and is only just in 8-9 clothes and there is not a pick of fat on him and he is blessed with my pale features too which does not go to well as he constantly looks pale and un healthy which worries me even though I know he is fine. We give him what we know he will eat and when I cook we put on a small side plate teaspoons full of each thing we have on our plate for him to try. I don't give him many fizzy drinks when I do they are few and far between, sugar free and diet, I let him have water, apple juice or cordial, sugar free. it's hard, and I have cried and cried with worry. I am hoping that in time if I keep offering stuff and he keeps finding the odd thing he likes its a step in the right direction, I did look on the net into food avoidance emotional disorder and selective eating disorder and whether to address this with a GP, but reading up on selective eating disorder it turns out that it is not fully recognised yet as an illness or problem etc. but I have told my son not eating enough of the right things now is just as bad for his health as eating too much of the wrong thing in the long term. because he is not getting enough vitamins and things to help him grow to give him brain power.. etc and that when he gets to high school and has a group of friends who want to go for something to eat etc, he won't be able to go because his friends won't want to go to Pizza hut all the time because thats the only place he will eat out at because he will eat stuff from there! I told him that his baby sister will be eating more than him before long and already does... it goes in one ear and out of the other.