Kids refusing to eat

AloyMomNwife
AloyMomNwife Posts: 146 Member
edited October 5 in Chit-Chat
My daughter does not want to eat. She is 4 years old and has gone through picky eating before but this time it is different. She now says she can't swallow. I've read that the more parents stress about it the less they are going to eat but it is very difficult to stay calm. I don't know how to deal with this "I can't swallow" issue, I don't know how to work around it. She has already lost 2 lbs and it freaks me out that she could faint or something. Anybody can shed some light this way? Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Replies

  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    Have you tried spanking?
  • lmtrevin77
    lmtrevin77 Posts: 68 Member
    Maybe she really has a sore throat.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Maybe she can't swallow. Have you tried taking her to the doctor?
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    I have five kids, I know picky. If she says she can't swallow, you need to take her to the doctors.
  • Ericgunner
    Ericgunner Posts: 109
    Take her to the doctors first and see what they say.
  • spennato
    spennato Posts: 360 Member
    First Off, My Son is 4 and he comes up with every excuse in the book. I would take you Daughter to the pediatrician to see if she is really having problems swallowing. We have recently tried this method. http://youtu.be/AlPxBMaSuxA
  • spennato
    spennato Posts: 360 Member
    Have you tried spanking?


    Really???That's your solution........Bad advice!!!!::mad:
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I would definitely get her to a doctor soon. My friend's son got to that point, but then he actually took it one step further because he threw up once when she was trying to get him to eat, then once he learned how to make himself throw up, he was doing it on purpose. He was 3. He's doing a lot better now though!
  • techgeeksquared
    techgeeksquared Posts: 30 Member
    ..
  • LivLovLrn
    LivLovLrn Posts: 580 Member
    I agree, take her to the dr. My friend's son wouldn't eat and nothing worked. He ended up needing to talk to a counselor before he would start eating again.
  • techgeeksquared
    techgeeksquared Posts: 30 Member
    First Off, My Son is 4 and he comes up with every excuse in the book. I would take you Daughter to the pediatrician to see if she is really having problems swallowing. We have recently tried this method. http://youtu.be/AlPxBMaSuxA
    How is the technique working for you?
  • Classalete
    Classalete Posts: 464 Member
    I never got much of a choice as a kid...It was always do as your told because that's whats best for you.

    Fast-forward a decade or so and I have little nephews and nieces who are practically calling the shots around my older sisters house.

    Times change...people change.

    Thank god I don't have kids.
  • premiumchilenita
    premiumchilenita Posts: 600 Member
    Definitely get it checked out, if there is nothing wrong and she really doesn't want to eat, give her something to look forward to, such as, if you don't eat your food you won't be able to have ............ My kids always look forward to the whatever I have for them, sometimes it's not even exciting, but it works. Just think of a situation and give your daughter to choose her own consequence. If there is truly nothing wrong, she won't starve. It's just one thing that they can completely control themselves. Maybe, there might be other factors that might make her feel she's not in control and she resorts to not eating because she can control that.

    Have you moved lately? Has there been an addition/subtraction to the family? or something that has been significant in her life that might make her feel out of control? Sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with food
  • alz6690
    alz6690 Posts: 44
    I would take her to the doctors to make sure everythings ok, and if it is I would just put food in front of her and say thats what she's getting! If she is really hungry she il eventually give in, she may just be figuring out how far she can push you when she wants her own way. We had a similar problem with my nephew and my sister in law got him checked out and then started giving him soft easy to swallow stuff and worked upto proper meals.

    Good luck!
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
    My daughter has come up with every excuse in the book not to eat as well, but I can usually sense when she is telling a fib and when she's serious. Take her to the doc and then if this sore throat thing is imaginary you can attend to it from there. You never know, the doc may have some advice on how to get her to eat.

    If it ends up not being something serious, here are some things that I use with my daughter.

    First off....she knows that she HAS to eat what I cook. She is not allowed to ask for something other than what I prepare. I try to cater to her likes and dislikes but she always has to have a few bites of something she doesn't like, just incase her tastes have changed. Up until recently she hasn't liked mushrooms or potatoes. She is now eating them. She also enjoys eggplant and other things most kids her age do not like. She is 6 years old. Also, I try to get her involved in the food preparation process as much as possible, keeping her away from the stove and sharp knives of course.

    When all else fails....finger foods! Kids LOVE finger foods. If it's bite sized and colorful they will gobble it up.
  • spennato
    spennato Posts: 360 Member
    First Off, My Son is 4 and he comes up with every excuse in the book. I would take you Daughter to the pediatrician to see if she is really having problems swallowing. We have recently tried this method. http://youtu.be/AlPxBMaSuxA
    How is the technique working for you?

    Someday's it works, some days it doesn't, but , I never give up and just give him cereal like I used to. He has to eat at least half. I think he is starting to get the picture.....
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    I would take her to the doctors to make sure everythings ok, and if it is I would just put food in front of her and say thats what she's getting! If she is really hungry she il eventually give in, she may just be figuring out how far she can push you when she wants her own way.
    Spot on advice.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    Do a self check to see if her throat is inflamed or something, till then see if you can at least get her to drink water, that will sustain her little self for a while. My niece(3) chooses not to eat either, but she eventually finds something she likes and eats it. oddly enough she decided she liked my dark chocolate almonds and ate a bunch of those.
  • sonyamorgan
    sonyamorgan Posts: 3 Member
    Take her to the doctor.
  • MummyOfSeven
    MummyOfSeven Posts: 314 Member
    Have you tried spanking?


    Really???That's your solution........Bad advice!!!!::mad:

    Seriously bad advice. Some people *sigh*
    Off topic, but can I just say to spennato: Really well done on losing 108 lb ! I have 65 lb still to go and seeing your 'ticker' has really inspired me :smile:
  • anikab
    anikab Posts: 150 Member
    I would take her to the doctors to make sure everythings ok, and if it is I would just put food in front of her and say thats what she's getting! If she is really hungry she il eventually give in, she may just be figuring out how far she can push you when she wants her own way.
    Spot on advice.

    Yep! Agree with this also. I have started doing the same with my 4yr old as well. I tell her this isn't a diner so either she eats what I make when it's meal time or nothing at all.
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    Bring her favorite food or candy. See if she still cannot swallow.
  • kazza135
    kazza135 Posts: 16 Member
    Are you sure she isn't following mummy - in that she sees you losing weight and weighing yourself. How do you know she has lost two pounds - have you weighed her? She might think she needs to do what you are doing - kids have strange ideas of what pleases an adult sometimes. You have to make sure you don't have any food hang ups and if you do you don't let her see or hear them.:smile: .
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Before taking her to the doc, you could try leaving some chocolate biscuits lying around... If one of them mysteriously disappears, you know she CAN eat and she's just jerking your chain. :bigsmile:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Are you sure she isn't following mummy - in that she sees you losing weight and weighing yourself. How do you know she has lost two pounds - have you weighed her? She might think she needs to do what you are doing - kids have strange ideas of what pleases an adult sometimes. You have to make sure you don't have any food hang ups and if you do you don't let her see or hear them.:smile: .

    this. i was going to ask how you knew she had lost 2 pounds.
  • spennato
    spennato Posts: 360 Member
    .
  • spennato
    spennato Posts: 360 Member
    Have you tried spanking?


    Really???That's your solution........Bad advice!!!!::mad:

    Seriously bad advice. Some people *sigh*
    Off topic, but can I just say to spennato: Really well done on losing 108 lb ! I have 65 lb still to go and seeing your 'ticker' has really inspired me :smile:

    Thanks!!
  • techgeeksquared
    techgeeksquared Posts: 30 Member
    First Off, My Son is 4 and he comes up with every excuse in the book. I would take you Daughter to the pediatrician to see if she is really having problems swallowing. We have recently tried this method. http://youtu.be/AlPxBMaSuxA
    How is the technique working for you?

    Someday's it works, some days it doesn't, but , I never give up and just give him cereal like I used to. He has to eat at least half. I think he is starting to get the picture.....

    Great! Keep up the good work.
  • kimberley_1
    kimberley_1 Posts: 92 Member
    First I would definitely ask for some help from your health visitor and let you doctor know...
    My kids get like this with certain food and have even made them self’s sick not wanting to eat but not with everything and yeah I have defiantly found the more you tress they just will not eat even more...
    I used to make food and sit down then just feel horrible and constantly think are they going to eat it over and over and as soon as they didn’t make a big deal of it trying to get them to eat...

    we are still working on it but now we sit down eat if they ask what it is tell them the truth and what other foods they eat it with and say try your best if they don’t eat it they go hungry of they do when they have finished we give lots of praise
    If working ok so far :)

    With yours not eating anything though and I know if must be really hard I would give her something you know she likes and make sure she’s not drinking too much milk because sometime when they do they don’t eat their meals
    and let her have some messy play with food just in her hands if she will or get her to touch the food on her Falk with her tough but tell her she doesn’t have to eat it just touch it with your tough and prise her when she dose and each time she might get better and eat something..

    Hope I haven’t gone on too much and I hope this helps
    Kim
    X
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