My daughter is barely eating...What should I do?

Sara - posted on 06/25/2012

My 2.5 year old daughter is the same way. She only eats yogurt and milk and on a very rare occasion fruits and veggies make it past those lips! She's tall and only weighs 28.5 lbs (hasn't changed in months). Our doctor has told us the same thing but, she's been like this since the day she turned 2, literally. I can tell you, I've noticed a drastic change in her personality over the last 6 months for the worse. I just thought it was the terrible twos but, i can't help but think that she's not getting the vitamins she should be to be totally healthy and happy (we give her vitamins daily but, who knows how much she really gets from those)!
We just keep trying things and if she eats something one day, we try it again until she won't touch it...then it's on to finding something else.
Does your daughter have a texture aversion issue? If so, try things like bananas, yogurts, oatmeal or cream of wheat, fruit smoothies with veggies blended in.. Good luck!

Rachel - posted on 06/25/2012

In this case, I would say listen to your pediatrician. My four year old still goes through the same fluctuation. Always remember that kids are much better at gauging how hungry they are and what they need, so unless she starts losing a bunch of weight or becoming less active, don't worry too much:)

Samantha - posted on 06/09/2012

I'm sorry, shes lost 3 pounds ur overreacting. When kids become more active they do loose weight. My son (3rd child) was born on 50% percentile & refuses to eat, he just wants breastmilk, he's dropped off the charts, is now 19 months & weighs 19 pounds. These past few days he has refused all food, I can't even tempt him with chocolate, chips, crisps, ice cream, let alone 'normal' food. Ur kid is fine, stop panicking.

Tiffany - posted on 10/10/2011

I found out that it's stress. Our living situation has been tough, and where we were living was very difficult and I also found out she wont eat while sitting on the floor she will only eat sitting at a table. Since I came back to my moms shes been eating most of her food, same thing with at daycare. Less stress since we came to my moms.

Cassandra - posted on 10/06/2011

my 15 month old son is the same way! its fustrating because he will not eat supper but then wake up at 4 in the morning starving. but we did figure out the other day he will eat panacakes, and he slept a lot better that night.
but he isnt loosing weight and he is very active, he is 25 pds and 31 inches. but im sure its just a stage she is going through. my daughter went through something like this. she ate but she had small little meals all through out the day, like she would have a cup of ceral, and 1/4 of a sandwich, like it u cut it into fours. she was always tiny and still is. but if the doctor thinks she is ok then i guess she should be..but i have learned to always second guess doctors if u truely feel something is wrong.

Kayla - posted on 10/03/2011

At that age they won't starve themselves as long as her doctor is not worried she will be fine. After all that's why we take them. Just be careful if you start to only offer her favorite foods or let her pick just to try and get her to eat you can get a pickey eater.

Tiffany - posted on 10/03/2011

Thank you I will try what you said and see if that works. She might like the colorful idea.

Tasha - posted on 10/01/2011

my son is the same exact way. i know this is annoying to do but i started doing the air plane and crash landing in his mouth. It has gotten better though, i also have tried a desert only if he ate all of his food though, you could also try making the food together and having her pick out what she wants and making the food look colorful and fun like if she eats sandwiches then get a cookie cutter and cut out the sandwich. when my second was born my 2 yr old went a full 4 days with out eating but kids can go much longer then adults can LOL also if she drinks a lot of milk that could cause her to feel full.

Tiffany - posted on 09/29/2011

I will continue keeping track of what she eats but i guess your right there really isnt anything to worry about shes healthy and thats what matters the most.
I appreciate the help and input :)

Vicki - posted on 09/29/2011

If she's very active AND not eating much losing a little bit of weight isn't surprising (3lbs is hardly anything). Losing a lot of weight, looking unhealthy and no energy would be worrying. I've also read somewhere that it's best to look at the intake of a toddler over a week not a day. Some days they may eat lots, other days barely anything but it usually evens out. Toddlers are sometimes just too busy to eat! If you've checked with your dr I would just continue along, keep an eye on her and try not to make meals a battle or she may be less likely to eat.

I avoid weighing my son (and me for that matter!), I don't think the scales give us useful information regarding health, and just add worry into our lives. My son was a chubby baby, but is now a skinny toddler. If I'd charted him he's probably gone down in percentile, but really does it matter? Bright eyes, healthy skin tone, activity levels, wee and poo output show more about how health our kids are.

Tiffany - posted on 09/29/2011

Shes healthy, looks healthy. A bit pale from what my mom keeps telling me, she is on the skinny side but always has been. She weighs 28lbs, she did weigh 31lbs, so she is losing weight which is another reason why I am concerned. But the doctor says it's because shes a growing girls but how does not eating and growing explain her losing weight, I really don't understand that one.

Vicki - posted on 09/29/2011

If she's active, looks healthy and running around like a toddler should then I wouldn't worry. Have healthy food available for her, she won't starve herself.

My boy is going through a stage of opposing me on many things at the moment. He's fine with food, but refuses to get dressed, get in the car and a few other things, but he'll do them for people other than me! For him it's just a way of testing boundaries with me and having some control of his life. Perhaps it's a similar thing with your daughter and food, since she eats at daycare?