Help Getting My 26Month Old to Eat

I have lots of recipes for the picky eaters. Sometimes all my daughter wants to have are shakes out of a straw. One example, Kefir, strawberries, 1/2 banana, 1 slice of avocado, 1 tablespoon flax oil, rice milk.
Also, some vegetable soups for example: saute chopped onion and 2 garlics, 1/2 leek, add water, 3 russet potatoes, broccoli, 4 asparagus spears, 1 tomato, 1 small amount of cauliflower. Blend and it makes a great hearty soup.
You can mix up the soups with potato as a base and add different veggies.
Please email me if you want more recipes. My daughter is almost 1 and only likes soft foods too. I make all her food, organic too and I am always coming up with new ideas.

Tiffany and Miss Firecracker had some great practical advise. Children won't starve themselves. If you continue to give him the bottle he has no incentive to eat solids. It's so hard on you, I know, but trust. Get the sippy cup and start using straws. A friend of mine recently told me that she was given advise to introduce new foods to her son, also a very picky eater, outside. She was skeptical, but is amazed at the results. It may not be practical all the time, but give it a try. Be patient.

It's not unusual for kids to limit what they eat at this age or to have a 10 word vocabulary -- every child -- develops at different rates and has preferences. However, the fact that your speech therapist has indicated that he may have some oral motor planning issues gives some explanation for why he may be self-limited the type of foods he is willing to eat. If you can't chew and grind up your food properly, then eating something chewy like pizza, meatloaf and even chicken nuggets may not be that appealing.

As for the non-chewy foods that he's rejecting, what I've had to do with my son (who has some oral sensory processing issues that we've been working on with an occupational therapist), when ever I put something new on his plate or something that he's refused to eat in the past, I have him do 3 things before I allow him to reject it: (1) I will put a fork/spoon with a little bit of the food item on it and make him smell it, to which he always says "Yuck!" (2) I then make him kiss the food so he can get a touch of it on his lips. He always says "Yuck!" after doing this as well. (3) And then as a final condition before I will allow him to totally reject it, he has to stick out his tongue and lick the food item -- licking usually means that he allows me to touch the food to his tongue -- to which I will usually get a 3rd and final "Yuck!" or a rare "Mmmm, that's delicious!" And then I keep on putting the rejected food items on his plate whenever we are serving it for dinner, hoping that one day his tastebuds will change. Maybe this is something that you can try with your son as well.

Good luck.

I think you got plenty of great answers to your question! My son used to drink Pediasure and because it is high in calories he was not hungry enough to WANT to eat anything else, as soon as we cut down on the Pediasure he ate more. But my son is still small, he is 6 years-old and weighs 33 pounds. But all of my kids are tiny and my husband too. Wish I was, but that is a different problem.

Hi T.,

Your sweet boy sounds similar to my son (now 20 months) who prefers only smooth food. A couple months ago, I met with a speech and occupational therapist. It was incredibly good for me as I was feeling very distressed and the very general advice offered by pediatrician (short visits--complex problem) was not helpful. My son would refuse food, then get very tired/cranky/clumbsy from not eating--I would respond by giving him smooth food or nursing him to "help him" but I was also reinforcing his refusal because he would learn that he doesn't have to eat his non-preferred food (difficult textures, different flavors) and would get what he wanted (sweet potatoes or breast milk). They described the huge sensory difference between smooth food and table food--just imagine the huge diffence between eating pureed sweet potatoes (consistently the same from first in your mouth to swallow) and bread, which requires much more work and is always changing in your mouth--and then you have to swallow it! They gave me some ideas to help my son make that transition. I am still working on it--it is a slow process, and sometimes I wonder if we are making progress. I would recommend that you (continue to?) see a speech/occupational therapist. If you want to email me, I can give your more information that they gave me. This is not a simplistic issue--you deserve support. I really want to share more but feel tired now and not sure how much other good advice you got already.

You can do it! You are your son's best advocate!
-J. (____@____.com)

Hi T.,
My daughter is 2 1/2 and has speech delay. I have talked with our therapist and most of her problems come from lack of muscle development. When she was younger she always sat at the table with us and ate what I served, but did not chew- she put it in her mouth until it dissolved. First toss the bottle, go to the market and buy some straws the bendy kind and the harder plastic twisty ones. Sucking through a straw will help develop the "oo" sound. One of our first exersizes our therapist gave us was cutting a straw and sucking apple sauce through it. Get a variety of fun finger foods- Kix, Goldfish, tortillia chips, crackers and sit with him at the table and share the snacks while chewing obnioxiously making cookie monster noises. Mix hot and cold (hot dog and icecream), and sweet and sour(sugar and lemons) to wake up the mouth. Chewy foods are fun too a spoon full of Peanut butter is a great mouth work out, and has lots of protein too. What I have learned with my daughter(who is my second child) is maybe not to over obsess about the nutricional value of everything I serve- just getting her to eat is the big thing. She now eats all fruits bananas, apples, mangos, strawberriesand oranges; Loves cereals, breads and noodles; and occationally will enjoy some chicken. Veggies are still a no. She drinks lots of Whole milk during the day (yes Whole they need the fat) and one glass of juice- all through a straw. And snack time still is just as described above- sitting together chewing in all sorts of crazy ways. Her speech has improved, but we still have work to do. But at least I know now she is eating and growing. Good luck!

I would definitely have regional center evaluate him for feeding. It sounds like he doesn't know how to chew so is limiting himself to soft textures. We have my son in feeding therapy now ( I should have done it much sooner he is almost 4) and within 6 weeks, he is already eating foods he would never touch before. Make sure you call regional center soon because they only work with kids until they are 3. then LAUSD takes over but they don't handle feeding. My son was also sppech delayed and was in speech since 25 months. Now he speaks better than most kids his age :)

L.

Hi-

You didn't say if your doctor is concerned. If your doctor is not overly concerned, don't worry. I say this as a mom of 3. One who wt and ht is always around 80% the 2nd who is very tall and lean ( she is 5 and weighs 40 lbs) but is as tall as children a yr older, and #3 who has been running 50%ht and 25% wt. My 5 year old who is very slender she eats when she is hungry regardless of what it is and doesn't eat when she is not regardless what it is. What I mean she naturally will ask for fruit, veggies and cottage cheese when she is hungry. When given sugary type treat will eat a bite or two and be done. No matter how wonderful a dessert may appear if she is not hungry she won't eat it- Also she is huge grazer. She eats little bit throughout the day and doesn't eat much at anyone sitting.
So don't be overly concerned. It may be that your child is built long and lean and as long as you are giving them healthy choice when they are hungry and not sugary/fatty junk food they will be fine- again if your doctor is concerned you need to find additonal help. We have friend who went though eating classes at CHOC and now their kids are eating fine.
Good luck-

My 4 year old daughter only weighs 29 lbs. She has been and still is in the 5th percentile. My doctor is not concerned...she's just small. My husband and I aren't big people either. BUT, it may be a texture/sensory issue.

Is your speech through regional center? Talk to your SLP about getting him an OT evaluation. Sounds like he may have some food sensory issues. OT's will work on feeding.

Hi-

My daughter is very picky and she's now 12!!! Sorry! Anyway, what we did and still do is make her smoothies, but add things like protein powder, spinich, flax seed, green powder... We introduce them slowly so that the different tastes and textures aren't overwhelming. Also, now, my daughter loves "Green Machine", which they sell at Costco, so she will pour herself a glass and add protein powder.

Good luck, I know how frustrating it is!!!!!

Hi T. - it sounds like you're concerned about your child's nutritional status. While you try all the great advice you've received here, I would urge you to get Juice Plus gummies into his diet. Check out http://www.juiceplus.com/+cc42230 for information on the research proving that the nutritional essence of the 17 whole food fruits, vegetables and grains inside these supplements gets in the blood and improves health. Like most American children, he's not getting enough fresh fruit and veggie nutrition that our bodies so critically need to support long term health and prevent illness. It's an easy way to give you piece of mind that he's getting nutritionally fortified every day. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to try.

Juice Plus - The Next Best Thing to Fruits and Vegetables
America's Brand Name in Prevention
24 Hour Health Info Line: 1-800-942-1260
C. ###-###-####
____@____.com

As many others have said, seek OT. I am a pediatric OT and this is exactly something we see in our clinic. Talk to your speech therapist or your regional center caseworker and find out how quickly you can get him in for an OT evaluation.

My toddler is refusing to eat a lot too. I made all her baby food and still make most of her food and very rarely allow packaged or fast foods. We are vegetarians so getting protein in her is important. She used to be a good eater but once she hit 2 yrs everything changed. She still likes to eat yogurt, like you son, and I use that as my conduit for other foods. I add wheat germ to the yogurt and pureed foods. The food she likes the most in the yogurt is pureed prunes. It really flavors the yogurt and I don't even have to add another sweetener. She also likes Purely O's (Organic Cheerios) in the yogurt. So I figure it is almost a complete meal - protein, grains, and fruit. Then I add one of the few veggies she will eat and I feel pretty good about the meal. Shakes and smoothies are another good conduit. I've added protein powders and used yogurt so with the fruits it becomes a decent supplemental meal/snack during the day.

You mentioned he doesn't like to chew a lot, but one of the snack foods my daughter will eat that helps me feel better about her diet is peanut butter balls. It is 1/2 cup PB, 1/2 cup honey, 1 cup powdered milk, 1 cup grounded rolled oats. Then you just makes balls out of the mixture and put them in the frig. My mom used to make something like this for me growing up that had wheat germ and protein powder. So basically you could mix other things with the PB and honey to make a snack ball that he might accept.

Oh, also I add pureed spinach to scrambled eggs. You might try added anything pureed to eggs to get more nutrients in him. Make a game out of it... does he like the book Green Eggs and Ham??? I also add things to pancakes (sweet potatoes, peanut butter). Basically any way to hide foods to get it into their little bodies!!

Also nutritional yeast can be added to any type of sauce for a boost. I add it to a lot of my main recipes for the family.

Do you have or have you heard of the book, "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron? She has good ideas for Toddler foods. Some are hits at my house and others are flops, but it does give me another avenue for ideas.

Good luck! It is hard, I know. I stress out all the time about my daughters diet and whether she is getting the proper nutrients to allow her to properly thrive.

maybe your child has reflux and therefore food does not taste good to him so that is why he doesn't eat. ask your doctor about zantac, prilosec or malox. this may help and in turns it may increase his appetite. does your child also suffer from constipation? if so, this may also cause him to not want to eat. good luck and hang in there.

Get him evaluated eating solids and talking go hand in hand. If you have been giving into soft foods and bottles he may have never developed the ability to eat solid foods. My friend was so afraid her daughter would choke she would not let her eat solid foods or take bites. I finally said you have to let her take bites or she will never learn. Now she is almost 3 and if anything is given to her(like pancakes) she shoves it down her throat in huge pieces(exactly what her mom feard) but she never let her choke a little in the beginning so she could eat normal. Her mom will still put things in small peices on her tray and she does not use a spoon. She also has limited speech and looks like and wears 18 month old clothes. It hinders in the fact that outsiders don't know her real age so they think all this type of eating is "OK"
What does the speech pathologist say? You must already have connections with your regional center if you are getting speech, ask them to do an evaluation-as you know the ealier the better. I work for a regional center and they will provide you with the corrct info.
Good luck, take away the bottle and start giving him toast and things that will help him bite and chew.

It sounds like you already got some great advice from people who know what they are talking about. I am no expert, only what I know from my own two kids, ages 3 and 2, but I have heard that children have very simple palates and do not like or need a lot of variety in their meals. My kids eat basically the same foods every day and they are pretty happy about it. The one thing I feel they don't get enough of is veggies, so I keep trying different varieties of veggies or try mixing them into foods they already eat. If they refuse it one day, I will wait a few days then try again (sometimes they go for it). Eggs, for instance, I will put peas and corn in the eggs and scramble them all together. They like that pretty well. Although, my 3 year old didn't like the corn I put in his quesadilla the other day - oh well! I also put cottage cheese in their applesauce or yogurt - you might try that with your son. It might help him adjust to eating chunkier foods, and get a little extra dairy at the same time. Have you ever tried gving him raisins to snack on? My youngest loves snacking on raisins, and he likes the little boxes for when we're in the car. They are soft and sweet, and they will get him chewing. Another soft food my kids love is oatmeal. I cook it in soy milk (for the extra iron), sprinkle in a little cinnamon, and add some raisins and honey. If you cook the oats slightly longer than the recipe calls for, they will be softer and that may appeal to your son. I usually make enough to have leftovers for a couple of days, then add a little milk to the reheated oatmeal to soften it up again.
If you want to transition your son from a bottle to a sippy cup, they make some sippy cups with very soft nipples (some are hardly any different than a bottle). He might go for those.
And I echo the words of the nutritionist about the Pediasure and Ensure. She's the expert so it's good to hear from someone who knows, but I keep my kids away from sugar (and anything artificial) at all costs.
Most of all, try not to worry about him. If he is energetic and healthy, I think that is the best indicator that he is doing fine.

Congratulations on teaching your son multiple languages. It is a great thing to do that conditions your child to hear the subtle differences in sound. This allows them to retain the ability to learn languages easily. The main drawback to growing up bilingual is speach delay. It can be hard to attatch the right word to a single thought when you are taught multiple words for the same thought. However, he may also have a sensory integration issue. The best way to be sure is to get that evaluated. Until that happens you can offer a variety of foods as you have been. Make a point of changing the texture of the foods you offer. For instance you could puree broccoli, steam it till it is soft, steam it but leave it a little crunchy, serve it raw, make it into a slaw, serve it hidden in other foods (cut the flower portion off and add to spaghetti sauce or ground beef).

My kids don't have any issues so the general rule in my home with my 3 and 1 year old is you have to try one bite of everything on your plate. You don't have to like it and you don't have to eat any more than one bite. The bigger the kid the bigger the required bite.

Just know that kids won't starve themselves. Most kids fit somewhere on the scale of "normal" after all that is how they came up with what is "normal". But every kid has a differnt growth cycle. My kids stop gaining weight at about the time they start walking. At one time or another they have been able to out eat me. Right now my daughter will barely eat a small bite of each thing on her plate. They will eat though. All kids will. Keep the foods that your son will eat in your meals but add to them. You can try making smoothies with yogurt, applesauce and a frozen fruit or bananna. Gradually add things to what he already eats. Offer him strawberry applesuace or add a little cinnamon. Put a little ham in scrambled eggs or even diced onion or squash. Have him help you cook. Most kids will eat foods that they help to make.

I wish you the best as you take your time figuring out what will work for your son.

T.:

I think the previous suggestion posted on your page is something you may want to check into- as well as meeting with a certified nutritionist. They would be a great support and offer information about your child's nutritional needs for healthy growth and development which may include supplements. There are some that specialize in child nutrition and I think you will feel better if you work with a professional. Most insurance companies cover this. They will work with you on selection choices for your child, have you record the amount of food your child eats and evaluate it along the way. They will also identify if your child's nutritional intake is jeopardizing his health or is something you will just help him get through until his appetite increased. In either case, I think you will feel better knowing you are working with someone who specializes in the area of concern you have. At 26 months my daughter was so picky I was really concerned about her. She was thin and simply didn't have an interest in eating. So, I don't think that is uncommon but I did follow up with a nutritionist just to be sure. The Nutritionist will partner with your Pediatrician or other resource if a multi approach is needed.

Best wishes!

L.

My sister had a boy that did not want to eat .so when i had him i would make him sandwichs cut into 8 to look like a pizza and he would eat for me .you can try shapes to.

Hi, I wanted to first off tell you I am a mom of an 18 month old girl and a 3 year old boy and I am also a nutritional consultant. I am first concerned with your son drinking Pediasure and Ensure. There is a lot of added sugar to those drinks and extra sugar is the last thing any child needs. When he's at the table, have you ever left him there (even if it takes hours) until he eats. My son was going through something somewhat similar in that he was becoming more picky with foods and wouldn't eat his fish and veggies, so I would leave him at the table while the rest of us went about our normal routine. Eventually, he'd feel left out and he would take the 3 to 5 bites I told him to. We all know children are very smart and the easiest thing to do is give in, but you have to stand your ground. It isn't easy, but it only gets easier. As far as veggies, have you ever tried juicing them? My children love veggie juice even in the morning. I have some recommendations if you're interested. Do you have a good source of vitamins and minerals, other than Pediasure and Ensure for your son? Have you ever tried Organic Greens? It's a powder that my kids also drink everyday. I have some ways that make it taste kid friendly. I'm here if you have any questions.

For feeding tips, recipes and more, check out weelicious.com

I have a picky eater myself, though not as picky as yours.
first thing get rid of the bottle Minus one a day or minus one every other day. He's not hungry because he's full of milk, milk needs to go in cups only try straws or sippy cups, the problem is sippy cups are another bad habbit. so go for the straw in a cup at the table with a snack less milk then a bottle you want this boy to get hungry. Even if it's cereal 3 times a day.

Does he like to dip, let him dip his food try ketchup, honey (but not to much, honey is hard for kids to digest it can act like a poison if given to much) frosting, mayo, carmel, try anything, and make a big deal about how good it tastes.

Good luck! J.

maybe you should try to fatten him up with his favorite sweet snacks. Ya give a nutricious meal but for dessert or snacks give him some ice cream or something that he likes.

Your son is not eating because he doesn't need to. 4 of those 8 oz nutrition drinks a day just fill him right up. If you take those away (and you should, as bottle sucking at his age can be detrimental to speech development and contribute to tooth decay,) it may take a few days or even a week, but he WILL eat. My oldest daughter refused to drink milk and some solids when we took the bottle away, but once she figured out it wasn't coming back, she started eating. I am surprised that your Doctor hasn't encouraged you more to take the bottle away. You CAN do this. It will be tough for a while, but stay focused on his future and his health and you can get through it. I would recommend you speak to a pediatric nutrionist to help you come up with a solid plan to get this under control and get him eating.
Trust me, you CAN do this!
Good Luck!
T.

Here is an excellent book that will give you so much good advice and many, many helpful tips: "How to Get Your Kid to Eat.....But Not Too Much" by Ellyn Satter. She specializes in eating, eating problems, disorders, etc. It is an excellent book---I know you can order it from Amazon. Here is the link--
http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Your-Kid-Eat/dp/0915950839/...

Next, I think in your heart you know what you need to do. Take that bottle away from baby!! He WILL NOT starve without it, but can definitely NOT THRIVE with it! He is consuming too much milk and not getting the calories and proteins he needs from solid foods. My advice is to take away the bottle and give him small portions in a sippy cup along with his meals. Don't make eating an issue or a game---if he doesn't eat this time, he will at "snack" time in an hour or so. Make sure he's in his chair eating his "snacks" and not running around the house. His "snacks" are really nutritious foods that you'd actually feed him for lunch or dinner--it's important that you take snacks for him seriously. No cookies, granola bars, etc. Just meal type foods---cheese, 100% whole wheat toast w/PB, cottage cheese with fruit, diced fruit, diced chicken, etc. (Toddlers love a little assortment, so you might try putting a few pieces of different things in a muffin tin--each cup has different foods in it.) You want him to get used to eating his meals in his chair. Don't beg or force him to eat in any way, shape or form. Good luck!

Have you asked his speech therapist about sensory issues? If you have ruled that out you might want to look into possible food allergies or intolerances. If something is upsetting his digestive system it might make him hesitant to try new foods and stick with only what he deems safe. Some foods might not even show up on an allergy test but be causing him pain.

Another possibility is control issues. If he is already in speech and feeding class he may be using food as a means of gaining some control of his life. I don't know what Feeding Class is all about but to they have you try it at home. Do they ask you to walk away and not talk about your expectations with him? If it is a control issue and you let him know what you want from him he may be fighting it.

I hope these suggestions at least give you some direction to look in. I know how it feels though to worry about your child's eating and nutrition. My son has multiple food allergies and intolerances and at 4 years old only weighed 28 lbs. I spent hours on-line over the years trying to figure out what what going on with him and how to get him to gain weight. It is scary when it is your child. Good Luck.

My daughter wouldn't eat solid foods at all and at 18 months old I had a feeding evaluation done on her by an occupational therapist. She entered a feeding group for a couple of months, which sounds similar to the feeding class you took your son to. My daughter went into a room with other toddlers and was exposed to different foods, schedules, and sensory items to encourage eating. During that time, parents met with a nutritionist or child psychologist or another OT to help us manage our issues. It worked! What I learned includes the following (things I wished I had known when I had my first child that would've provided a better foundation for healthy eating habits):

- Experts say you can introduce a food to a child as many as 17 times before they will eat it. In OT we practiced this introduction in steps...touch the food, kiss the food, lick the food, bite the food (teeth marks were only required), eat (swallow) the food. We only encouraged one step at a time and celebrated each little accomplishment. For example, if I was introducing green beans for the first time, I would encourage her to just pick it up and if she did that, I would praise her and do nothing more with the green beans.

- Set a schedule. It's recommended that you have breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. These should be scheduled and consistent each day. You set a timer and give the child that amount of time to eat. I think a 2yo can sit at the table for 10-15 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the food and there is no other food until the next scheduled time. Even it your child refuses to eat, the expectation is to sit at the table for the designated amount of time. My daughter used to scream and throw food on the floor she didn't want to eat affecting the entire family's meal time. The OT had us move her high chair away from the table, but she was still expected to sit in the chair until she acted appropriately or until the timer went off. My daughter did not like being by herself and learned quickly what the meal time expectations were.

- Be patient. If you get frustrated, bribe, etc., your child has more power than you and will learn to use it. Your child knows and is entering the age to test his boundries and power. Don't stress.

- Check out a book called, "How to Get Your Child to Eat But Not Too Much" by Ellen Satyr. The book was originally recommended by my lactation consultant when I first started identifying the feeding issues with my daughter and was later recommended by my OT.

Good luck! I know this situation is challenging, but part of it is age typical. And, sometimes I think doctors worry too much about weight. I know too many children whose doctors worried about their weight, but God just made them small; nothing is wrong with them at all. Hang in there!

If your 26th month old is'nt on childrens vitamins try putting her or him on them. Sonetimes that will give them a appetite. Give them the bottle after they eat. But try to space the bottle out where he or she does'nt have it constantly. So he or she would feel more hungry at meal time. If you have'nt tried it. Or you might even try talking to a nutritionist to see what to do also. Sorry not much help.

My son (now 14 years old) was failure to thrive and weighed 10 lbs at 1 year. If you want my story and advice, email me directly at ____@____.com
www.shaklee.net/healthyfriends
Creating Healthier Lives & Homes for Over 50 Years!

T.,

I'd really recommend getting him evaluated by Early Intervention. Many times feeding and speech issues go hand in hand. It could be a muscle tone issue, a sensory issue, any number of things. An evaluation will tell you much. If you don't want to do the Early Intervention thing, I'd recommend going to an occupational therapist or a speech therapist who also specializes in feeding issues. And I'd do it right away. My 4.5 year old has had a hell of a time with these issues and you really can't start therapy too early or do too much of it. The issues get harder, not easier, as they get older.

T.

My son did NOT eat or talk for a very long time. My Doctor said he was fine because he had some weight on him... I told the Doctor he NEVER eats.. or sleeps and does not talk. (you can not stop me from talking)

I had him tested with the Reginoal for Autisum. They were NO help for me - Othere they did help but not in my case.

Well - I did put in him Head start special program. But it took alot of work at home to get him to talk.... I would not give him a coookie till he tried to say it. if he tried than he could have one. The same followed with dressing himself. He had to work harder on getting the words out than the average child. His little sister talked before he did.

I had to keep on him to say what he wanted... stay strong

long story short - I would make him try everything I made... he did not have to like it but he had to try it. To my suprise I found alot of food he DID like. He would only eat the jar of cearel... nothing else!

My son could read befor he went to School. He is extremealy gifted!!!!! now he is 16 and will be attending colege :)

I allways ask him questions about how he thinks. I found out:

1 - people talk to much. they dont say what they realy want. to many words to pick out what they want. if your hungry than say you want to eat. not a story.

2 - I dont like that food because of the texture not the taste (that was a good one)

3 - sound is hard on his ears - I had to teach him how to block the sound out.. and it realy works.

there are so many - I realy want you to know that you might have a gifte child!!!!!!!

My son took everything in -I read alot to him. not the easy books. He wanted to learn but could not talk.

I hope this helps :)