My little girl is 2.5 years old and i am worried she may have an eating disorder...
She eats regulary like everyone however during meal time she eats fast and stuffs her cheaks to the point of gagging then asks for more right away. Some times telling her no has led to tantrums. In between meals she walks around behind everyone telling us over and over again that she is hungry or thirsty. She will actually scream at the top of her lungs and pound on things. The most disturbing part of all of this is that she keeps getting caught eating out of the trash can, i have tryed telling her how yucky it is but she just keeps doing it anyway. Also she gets caught sneaking boxes of cereal, loafs of bread, crackers, cookies, basically everything u can think of to her room! I just dont understand what is going on....can anyway out there help me with this problem or know if there is a name for it and what i am supposed to do?
She should be seen by her pediatrician. It may not be an eating disorder, but may be something going on metabolically.
Hi A.,
If that behavior has lasted longer than a week or two, then it sounds like something you need to bring to the attention of your pediatrician and a nutritionist/dietician. It can be a symptom of Prader-Willi (not Willi Prader) syndrome. Kids who have that usually are poor eaters as babies and then become overweight as toddlers due to massive overeating all the time. You don't mention her size, but I wonder where she is falling on the growth charts. I agree with trying to increase proteins and decreasing bad carbs (white breads, rice, cookies, sugar, packaged snacks). Protein makes you feel full while carbs make you feel hungrier faster. Unfortunately, it may mean not buying snacks like chips and cookies, or hiding them where she can't get to them. Bring them out only when she is asleep! I also wonder what she is drinking. I really would try to cut out anything with high fructose corn syrup and try to focus on skim milk and water throughout the day. I have known kids to drink huge amounts of calories through soda snd juice each day, and again, these are carbs and make a person hungrier and thirstier. Most kids who are diabetics are hungry, thirsty, and pee constantly, but often are skinny. There are so many possibilities as to what could be causing this that it really might put you at ease to have some tests run to rule out all the medical ones. Good luck!
It definitely sounds like there is something just not right. As far as diabetes- is she urinating in large amounts and frequently? Hunger and thirst are indicators, but on top of that she would be urinating in noticeably large amounts. Whatever it is, she needs to be seen by a dr. very soon.
You need to take her to the doctor. She may have a metabolic disorder that can easily be detected with a blood test.
You may want to consult your pediatrician. You must control her portion size. It could just be a battle of the wills but remember you are the parent. Let her throw the tantrums. She's not going to get her way unless you give in.
Good luck.
Lots of toddlers will want to snack all day, but this sounds more serious than that.
1. Is there any possiblity that she went hungry or was denied food at any time in her last two years? This behavior would be typical in neglected children that have been placed into foster care. All of the sudden food is now available and they eat constantly and hide food - in case the food goes away again. If this is the case, talk with a social worker or child counselor to get ideas on how to help her.
2. If not, please see your physician or perhaps a developmental specialist (county health dept or local child guidance clinic). There is a rare, but serious condition called Willi-Prader Syndrome where children will eat nearly nonstop. It usually comes with developmental delays also. There may be other related conditions involving excessive eating. But please look into this - this behavior is not typical.
It is possible that it is diabetes. with it you stay hungry(I do) and thursty all the time. I hope you get to the bottom of this and soon.
My daughter is almost 5 and she does this every once in a blue moon, you just can't keep her full. I think that's when they're growing, is when they eat so much. Her eating so many carbs, tho, probably isn't enough to fill her up. Try more protein. You could use this to your advantage (that is, if it's not, in fact, a disorder) and feed her vegetables and whatever is healthy. Try making only those available and keep the bread and cookies away.
A.,
You need to consult a pediatrician and if they tell you just to watch what she eats and make sure she doesn't have access to the food you need to find someone else willing to take this seriously. This is not normal behavior it may be caused by a deficiency or metabolic disorder and the sooner you get to the bottom of it the better for your sweet little girl. Don't give up, keep going until you find the answer and trust your instincts!!
you have alot of good advice,but diabetes,it sounds like she msy hve it,and her overeating could be a thyroid problem,i know i didnt know i had thyroid probs an my doctor said it even affects children.after awhile of takinthe meds for it i began to loose weight an my hunger decreased, but the thrist is a sign of diabeates hope this helps
A.,
I'm not trying to imply anything but I would have her checked for intestinal worms and/or tapeworms, just to be on the safe side.
It's just a thought.
I wish you the best.
L.
It sounds like the Prader-Willi syndrom to me. I am certified working with people with disabilities, and every once in a while we would have one of these individuals. Like you and I, they can not sense when they are full. When we had one of these individuals come in the office( their caretakers would call and let us know they were coming) we had to clear out the refrigerator we had there,and anything that was edible, creamer, sugar,etc. When they were at their home they had to have locks on refrigerators and cabinets. This is a very serious disorder and if your child has it,you will have to make major lifestyle changes,and it will be hard on the whole family.You definitely need to take her to the pediatrician(if you haven't already).If she does have it, she will most likely will have developmental delays. I will pray for you and your family. See www.pwsusa.org to see if this sounds like your child. God bless you and your family.
Hi Angela!
Ok, I think I'm the odd ball out on this one, but seriously she sounds like a normal 2 1/2 yr old to me. My son is also 2 1/2 and does the same type of stuff. Its just a part of growing. This is a very normal age for not only a big growth spurt physically, but also mentally. They are learning a lot right now and even that can build their appetite. My husband has Type 1 Diabetes, so its something we keep a close eye on with all of our kids and so far all of mine are perfectly healthy. Our pediatrician has no concerns in spite of my son acting this same way. My daughter went through the same thing around 2 and now at 4 we can hardly get her to eat and she's little bitty. Its all just phases, growing, trial & error and testing boundaries. Please don't let all these women scare you about all these bizarre disorders and everything else. I know things like that are possible, but its also a possibility that you just have a normal little girl with a very big appetite. Try not to worry too much about it. Good luck and God bless. I hope everything works out for the best for your little girl.
A. K
There is a medical condition that has been studied that deals with people whose appetites are never satisfied no matter how much they eat. I agree with Tara. Don't give up and don't give in! I know it is difficult to see your child so unhappy, but you have to think of what is best for her and be consistent. There is hope.
Oh my!
You have some excellent advice here, I was also going to ask about diabetes, which is what I thought of immediately, esp with the thirst as a component. The worms are a possibility, but I think her tummy would be bloated and the rest of her would be skinny. Do not ignore this....find a doctor that will help. It seems like she's stealing carbs, so meanwhile, I'd be sure to give her whole grains, lean meat, fruits and veggies and NO ACCESS to sugary things. I would even make a fruit/veggie tray like at a party and leave it for her through the day until you get to the bottom of this.
Oh, and we've used this for slowing down the chewing and swallowing-
In your best Elmo voice: "Elmo says 'Don't forget to cheeeeew'"
Please let us know what you find out.
~K.
