3 yr old just won't eat!

[randomsasha]

I have twins, boy and a girl, who will be 4 in September. Since Thursday, my daughter has basically stopped eating. They are both vegetarian, but eat fish, and have always been good eaters. Apart from this she is in good health, nothing else is unusually apart from her being thirsty a lot more. I'm going to make a doctors appointment tomorrow, but I'm getting a bit worried, as even bribing her with all her favourite "junk" foods like Quavers or potato smiles isn't working. She isn't taking any tantrums or refusing to eat she seem genuinely upset and says she isn't hungry. Yesterday she only had half a slice of toast, a cheese slice and a potato smile! NHS 24 just said to wait it out because she'll eat if she's hungry. I don't know what to do!

[meltoadhall]

I would wait it out too, small people rarely starve themselves and she will eat when she needs too.
try not to get upset about it because she will use against you. Just give her a small portion of food when everyone else eats, remove it without comment at the end, but don't give her anything else to eat inbetween meals.

Is she drinking plenty? keep a record of every single thing that passes her lips and if it really worries you make the appointment to see the gp.

[Jules001]

If you say that she is more thirsty than usual, I would check that she is not drinking too much and filling herself up on drink and then not being able to eat. If she only wants to drink at the moment that is fine, but get her drink milk instead of juice etc (that's if you drink milk as veggies)

[Lonnie]

if she's dring a lot, i'd get her checked out for Diabetes, its probably not that, but better to be safe than sorry.

Good luck with the doctor.

[tigwig]

jules, drinking milk will fill her up even more and she will eat even less. My daughter has been a extremely faddy eater since 18months old, she is now 3 when I refused to give into her demands she didn't eat a thing for 3 days and then I did give in! She has seen various doctors and they told me I was doing all the right things ie not getting mad, serving small portions, ignoring tantrums and doing reward charts. It has only been in the last 6 months that she eventually was persuaded to try tiny mothfuls of new foods and now she eats a whole lot better but is by no means like her friends at nursery. randomsasha I suggest you do as others have said, ignore this behaviour and try her with a reward chart and only give attention when she eats, also, don't give her snacks in between meals.

[Jules001]

tigwig, i know that drinking milk will fill her up and she will eat less, that is why I said 'If she only wants to drink at the moment that is fine, but get her to drink milk instead of juice etc ' - it could just be a passing phase and as long as she is drinking milk, she shouldn't come to any harm.

[tigwig]

sorry jules I didn't mean it in a nasty way at all obviously if her mum doesn't mind her only drinking instead of eating then yes I agree milk is far more nutritional for her but on the other hand it might never end! My nephew was very similar and he drunk loads of milk through the day and his mum couldn't understand why he wasn't hungry! once again sorry I never meant to to 'diss' your answer

[Paul_Rook]

I would cook there favorite food, and offer ti to your kids they will eat eventully just might take a while.

[Jules001]

no need for apology tigwig, I didn't take any offence, just pointing out that drinking could cause her to feel full up, but that milk was more nutritional if she didn't want to eat. It's so hard to know how to 'take' written answers isn't it? even though I read them back, my answers have been taken the wrong way a couple of times recently - I must try harder :)

[tigwig]

don't worry jules I feel the same!! At least we agree

[amonty1144]

It is unlikely to be diabetes, I saw my gp with my son a little while back, he said that small children with diabetes tend to become unwell very quickly.
My son goes throught phases of eating like a horse then eating nothing, small people don't feel hungry sometime, just carry on with your normal routine and eventually she'll eat.
I wouldn't give her loads of milk, my son was a pain with filling up on milk because it was quick and easy.

[thugulike]

I have a friend who had a similar problem with her son who ended up with milk anorexia. I would just offer the normal food. If it's refused then take it away stright away and make no fuss. If it is behavioural, ie looking for attention, then you are rewarding her not eating.

[davkel]

take her doctors check for diabetes

[chat2me]

hiya haw u doin just take her to docters and c wot they say to u some day kids came eat some day they can not min dorther is not a very gud eater but she will eat when she is ready