My 7 Year Old Boy Will Not Eat

i don't understand. If the doctor is concerned, what did she/he recommend?

you could switch to whole milk for him. and grape juice instead of apple juice.

seems to me you are owed help from the doctor if he is concerned.

I study nutrition and natural healing and I have 3 boys,13,4 and 2. Children are more tuned in to their bodies than we are and they know what their body needs. They go through phases and growth spurts. It does not benefit them to force them to eat,this may cause more problems. When you focus on negative things it will just get worse. So dont worry,he knows what he needs. If your worried about him getting the nurtrients he needs make sure he takes a good whole food vitamin. Also make sure he's drinking plenty of water. When you choose food make sure it is as natural as possible,whole grains,fruits and veggies. sugar is not only unhealthy but it depletes our bodies of vital nutrients. Read labels,everything has corn syrup and sugar,try to avoid these as much as possible. Food is energy,good or bad. think of our bodies like cars,it will only work properly if we put the right kinds in.

Find something else to do B. ~ your son will start eating as soon as he gets ready to grow (which is about 13-14 for boys) and when you back off and let him decide for himself when he is hungry.

Research eating disorders on the web instead of how to make your child grow. Boys do get eating disorders too!

People come in all shapes and sizes - what matters is how we feel about ourselves. Every meal you insist that he eats gets him closer to feeling like a failure. Take it from a small woman who is now fat - forcing kids to eat so they will grow WILL make them grow - out rather than up. My parents made this mistake too and I have suffered all of my life because of it.

Take care ~

If he's healthy that's all that matters. Why does he need to be big? My daughter was also 6 pounds when she was born and now at 17 and fully grown she weighs 95 pounds. She is by far the smallest of her friends. Feeding him the junk food won't help. Then he will only become an overweight small person. Plus you could be surprised when one day your tiny boy turns out to be almost 6 feet tall! It happens all the time.

I would just serve food and let him eat what he wants. IF he's small, thats ok. IF he's losing weight thats antoher thing, but if he's just small, thats fine. Trust me, he'll catch up size-wise. But if you turn eating into a battle or start bargaining, it'll only exacerbate the problem. Forcing him to eat will make it a bigger power struggle, and it sounds like you are already in one. Make the food, serve it, and let it go. He'll eat when he's hungry, and I'll bet he'll eat a whole lot more if its not an issue.

The bigger deal you make, making him eat the worse it will be.

If he's not Losing weight don't worry.

My daughter is in first grade and pretty tiny too. She's 6.5 46inches and 48lbs. There are atleast 5-8 kids in her grade that are smaller than her though. There are several boys who are so darn small they're cute and look like 4 year olds. I'm sure one day they'll hit their growth spurt and take off and being boys eat their mom and dad out of a home. I've noticed comparing kids at school sometime between K-2nd grade they really seem to have a growth spurt and shoot up. I've decided my daughter hasn't hit it yet but the other kids have. My daughter's father is 6-4 and 300lbs. My daughter has the right genes to be big and she is a really good eater but she's just not hit that growth spurt yet.

It is so easy to make eating/not eating turn into a "power struggle". Please relax about his eating - present him with a variety of foods and increase the frequency of those foods he seems to like. But the most important is to RELAX around him and eating. As long as he is healthy, thin is OK.

The more I can ignore my daughter's eating, the more she eats.

Hi B.,
My son was the smallest boy in his class thru high school. There is nothing you can do with a hereditary trait. If he is healthy and the doctor is ok with it leave it alone. My brother is 5'4 and 64 years old! My small son is now 32 years old and 5'8. Quit knocking yourself out to make him grow. He will grow at his own pace.
Nan

Well, that is our life right now. Our son is 11, has never had an appetitie. and feeding him is a full time job. anyway, i've been taking him to the dr. since forever, they've told me he is picky, etc. but , he just is always full and vomits sometimes. finally, this year, because he has not grown or gained anything in one year, we finally got a referral to a pediatric gi clinic. he weighs less than he did a year ago. so, now it has become clinically significant. anyway, he went in for an endoscopy and he has had inflammationof the esophagus (esophagitis). he's on an inhaled steroid, and is finally eating and hungry. but i've beenfighting this since he was about 1 yr old. but he wakes up now and tells me he is hungry. so, happy ending, but lots of years of me complaining and losing sleep..goodluck. but you may need to see a pediatric gastroenterologist.

Hi B.,
I just wanted to mention the possibility of meeting with a dietician/nutritionist. I say this because recently one attended my ECFE class and we saw one at the parent fair this past weekend----both made a world of difference for how our family has been handling my daughter's lack of eating. And it was done in a positive and empowering way.
One of the ladies name is Kathie Dormanen, who also recommended books by Ellyn Satter. We are planning to get one to have as a reference.
Good luck in finding some peace here,
C.

He's old enough to get involved. Sit down and chart out how many calories he needs to eat in a day. Then together go to the grocery store and let him help him cook. Talk about health and nutrition and get books on how your body, muscles and food work together. Ice cream is not the answer. Maybe protein shakes or veggies and hummus or cheese and crackers...

Have you tried the protein shakes, such as Pedia-sure?
I have tried that with our 5 yr old when he gets in those modes and he enjoys them....I just try to convince him that if he eats a little he can have a special treat that his brother can't have. Hopefully that works...Good Luck
K.

Could you try nutritional beverages that would get him more vitamins and calories? Ensure would be worth a try and Arbonne's daily power punch for kids. The punch packets from Arbonne are packed with super food antioxidants with core vitamins and minerals known to help support children's health. You add the packet to 6 oz of water. (My kids like to add it to lemonade.) We make popcicles too!
Arbonne also makes protien shakes in 3 different flavors. My kids like to make smoothies. We add fruit, yogurt, milk and sometimes peanut butter.
Let me know if you would like any samples for your son to try. I would be happy to send them to you.

Have you tried any of the meal replacement drinks they have out there for kids.

My sister's son is a really picky eater and basically he eats very little, but she lets him pick what he wants to eat. He may or may not eat it all. But at least he is getting something.

I also had a friend who feed there son baby food, because that was the only thing they could get him to eat.

C.

I also weighed 40 lbs. at 7 years old. Now I am overweight. If your doctor is not concerned, you should not be either. I started eating at about age 12. Food was just not a big deal to me before. Just make sure he's eating good stuff.

Well, my parents used to stress about this as well. I was 56 pounds at age 9, 32 at age 5. I did hit a period where I was heavy as did my son, and I stretched out. At 50 years old and most of my life I have been the weight I needed to be. If your family tends to run small and slender they will be healthier in the long run. What are some of his favorite foods? Try and make eating less stressful and more relaxed. As long as he's healthy...
Peace and Blessings,
S.
http://www.YesToSuccess.net/S.
helping families with health and wealth for almost 12years.

Both my kids are naturally thin. my 9 year old is only 52 pounds - my soon to be 7 year old is 42 pounds. Neither one has ever had much of an appetite. I gave them pediasure - a nutrition drink for kids - for awhile at the suggestion of my dr.

My son does have sensory integration disorder and gagged on foods a lot due to texture. This got better through occupational therapy.

Children's Hospital has a great clinic that assesses eating issues - I think it's called the feeding clinic at children's??? My son had some testing there as an infant. Ask your pediatrician for a referral - they can help you discover if there is an underlying reason or if he's just skinny and doesn't care for food a whole lot. Good Luck!

My kids also won't eat and I'm learning that there are so many reasons why. I would ask your doctor to refer him to a speech therapist who specializes in feeding issues. That way you can determine if there is a physical reason related to his mouth or other things preventing him from eating. My son actually had underdeveloped muscles so we found out that eating complex foods was really hard for him which is why he didn't. You may also try seeing an allergist. He may have food sensitivity that makes him feel bad after eating. A changed diet could work wonders.

You don't want to force him to eat though. You don't want to create a battle over the food because he's only going to become more adverse to eating. I know its hard, but try to make eating an enjoyable, fun experience, even if he ultimately doesn't eat much.

I would relax and accept him as he is, since you say that he is healthy - it sounds hereditary. The important thing is to look at his yearly growth on a growth chart. Not to compare him to others, but to look at his own unique growth curve. Does he grow every year? A concern would be if there was a sudden drop off in his growth - say, going from the 20th percentile down to the 1 percentile in a single year.

Offer him lots of variety of good, healthy foods to encourage good, healthy growth and to form good habits of health. Don't make it into a power struggle. And please, don't load him up on junk - that only encourages unhealthy growth of fat, (including fat deposits in his arteries) , and teaches poor habits. It's better to be small with a weight in proportion to your size than it is to be small and overweight.

My son has always been the smallest in his class. I am 5'2", my husband is the smallest in his family at 6'1". My son hopes that he will grow, but we don't put pressure on him to eat a lot, and he accepts himself and doesn't dwell on it. My husband didn't get his growth spurt until after high school!

How do you feel when you're offering him food? If you're tense or pushy, he is likely to tense up too, and not be hungry. I know you want him to eat and grow, but the way to get that is most likely to relax and be easy with whatever he eats (as long as it's nutritious) or doesn't eat. Celebrate whenever it goes well, and make meal time a time to be relaxed and enjoy each other. Also maybe have some nutritious snack foods nearby while he's playing, so he could grab something if he's hungry, away from the tensions of mealtime.

B.,

ARe there any foods that he will eat? Has your doctor talked about seeing a specailist?

I would be concerned for as well. My kids also tend be on the small side. I am not sure what to tell you. I have kids that go in streaks of eating and not eating. They are not big kids and tend to be teh smallest in their class.

I wish you the best.

A.

Hi,

Don't worry about size at all. My daughter is 7, and weighs only 42 pounds and is the smallest in her class. For the first 4 years of her life, she was on the negative side of the weight and height scale, she finally got to a positive 5% when she was 5. We are expecting her to be small, maybe an inch taller than me (5'2"). I was the smallest also, so wouldn't expect any more than that. My 4 year old is only at the 15% for height and weight. I wouldn't worry about it, especially since you and your husband are small. Whatever you do, don't feed him junk food only because you want to make him bigger, this will only make him overweight and short. He will hit his growth spurt and everything will be fine.

Take Care!

Hi B.,

I can only share with you our story of our little guy.
If you are both small, why are you so worried that he's small. He's probably following in his parents footsteps. There is nothing wrong with that.

I don't understand why your doctor would be concerned if he's at a skinny healthy weight. Children all comes in different packages.

Our little guy was scrawny up to age 11. He didn't want to eat anything. We pushed food on him & my husband made him sit at the table until he ate his food.

Now he weighs 230 and is 6'2"

Never force a child to eat unless they have some kind of eating disorder. My sister was teeny and still is today. She lifts weights just to beef up her muscles. She's almost a size 2 (5'4") and she's 40 years old.

We were worried about our little guy too. But my mom said that my sister was the same way. She still is. My mom said that there would be days where all she would have to eat would be a soda cracker. I can tell you it put my mind at ease. Because it ran in the family. She's healthy today!

Sometimes I think society makes too much out about eating that why Americans have so many problems with obesity & diabetes.

We do have a product that you could take a look at. It's a protein shake. It builds muscle.

Let me know.

God Bless,

J.

Is there something that might be causing this, anything stressful, etc. Maybe bringing him to see a specialist/therapist. It could be a control issue, you get worked up and he is in control.

Hi B.,

What is your gut feeling as his mom? Take a few breaths and think: is he using this to have control over something? or is he really just not hungry? At 7, he is old enough to understand that eating is something we need to do to be healthy. Maybe you and the pediatrician could talk to him together and come up with a plan where he could help you pick meals and help prepare meals. Sometimes being invovled in the process helps. Helping him understand why it is important and enlisting his help may help him to see that this is not a control issue, but a health issue.

You also don't mention how you and your husband are built. Are you also petite? Just questions to consider...sometimes we worry as moms.

There is a good cookbook...something like the Sneaky Chef...its by a mom who adds vegetables and extra nutrients to food to encourage good nutrition in kids. This may help. Also, a dietitian may have some more ideas about how to add calories. I know you said you had tried the Instant Breakfast and ice cream; dietitians are trained to help with things like this. You might want to ask for a referral to a pediatric dieititan, or a dietitian who has had experience with children. Good luck!

I agree with a lot of the other comments. My only other thought is on the food allergies. It may not be the issue at all but when I was 10 I was tested for allergies and discovered they where the reason for may of my problems. After finding what I needed to avoid I started to finally catch up on growth (over the next couple years), do better in school, and feel better in general. They (my allergies)had given me stomache aches, headaches, and many other reactions. So if there seems to be more than him just being small that might be a thought. I am still on the small side but as long as you are healthy it can be a good thing!
Best of luck!

~ A happy 27 year old wife and mother

I completely understand as my 7 year old daughter will not either. The only thing I have come up with is we do flashcards at the dinner table. The only rule is she has to take a bite between each one. When she says she is full (and there is very little gone) I make a small pile and tell her that she needs to eat that only. Also, I tell her that she needs to eat until she is full because the "kitchen is closed" after dinner. I do the dishes and shut the light off so she knows it is closed. I hope this helps and best of luck.

Are you absolutely sure he isn't getting other food you're not aware of? If he's getting junk food at school he may be able to stave off hunger pangs at home. Are you able to get vitamins into him? If so, and if you can prevent access to junk food, given that there doesn't seem to be anything wrong yet physically, I'd say keep offering healthy food and nothing else.
Are his friends of a healthy weight? If not, there may be some negative peer pressure going on that needs to be stopped.

If you'r Child wont eat and say's he is not Hungry.......you cant force him/her.Make shure you give them plenty of Protein Drink's.
At Dinner time would set the Child by the Table and let him see how Mom/Dad are eating.And let him know ow GOOD it Taste's and see if he is willing too try that way.
there is a ols Saying .........if there hungry they will eat.....cut out all or most of the Snack's you giving him.
hope this will help.........

Hi!

Looks like you have received a lot of great advice. One thing I would look at, just in case, is if your child has any aversions to certain foods. Do you notice a consistent dislike to foods that are mushy, cold/hot or a preference for things that are crunchy. Does he like foods that are separate and not mixed together? Sometimes, sensory issues can cause problems with food, making kids gag at certain tastes, textures or temperatures. There may be an underlining reason he is not eating. I just wanted to throw it out there just in case your child is trying to communicate something, but it comes out as "I don't want to eat". GOod luck!

I have one. She is eight now. My pedetrician and I agreed that as long as the child is healthy, their blood looks good and everything seems fine otherwise, one good meal a week is sufficient. They eat when they are hungry - much to any mother's dismay.

I would seek a second opinion about the throwing up thing. That sounds as though there may be more to it. Maybe psycological - ? Not a bad thing, just a thought.

Have you tried protein shakes or bars? It sounds like he has a small belly and it is filled easily. It doesn't sound like he is sick. Your son isn't the only child who is healthy and small. Some kids are just naturally petite. I have five children and they were all little when they were born. As they grew they looked like bobbleheads because their bodies were so skinny but their heads were pleasantly round. If he is eating regularly and is healthy, don't force feed him. His body knows what he needs. God's Blessings!

my son is seven and he weights 30 lbs, my daughter is two and weights 26 lbs i have been to all differnet kinds of doctors any suggetions???

I just wanted to let you know that I understand. I have a 3 year old who is the same way. She was 6lbs 5 oz at birth and has been under weight since. Our doctor knows that she is healthy and cannot explain why she just does not wnat to eat. We have had all sorts of test done to make sure nothing is wrong, and htey all came up negative. I started crying because I just did not know why she did not want to eat. hOwever, since she was healthy my doctor gave me htis advice, put out snacks throughout the day and when she is hungry she will eat. Now, I still have 3 meals scheduled a day, however I keep healthy snacks out and she does eat, jsut not very much, and heck she gained a pound...yeah!!! As long as he is healthy I wouldn't worry, he will eat just not alot. I have a 3 year old as well as a 1 year old, my one year old is starting to follow in her sister's footsteps, however this time I am prepared. I hope this helps, however just know others are out there dealing with the same issues and it will get better!!

J. K

B.,

Forcing your child to eat is not going to make him grow any faster, maybe out, but not up. If he's not hungry and the doctors say that physically he is healthy then just fix him nutritious meals and snacks and basically that is all you can do. He will grow-up to be the size he is suppose to be.

It sounds like you forcing him to eat could eventually cause him to have food disorders (vomiting) that you don't even want to think about. Just let nature take its course.

You know - he won't starve himself. That would go against every survival instinct in him. I say, don't focus on it. Keep feeding the family, put his plate in front of him, but don't stress about it. We only have one rule in our house - you have to take one "no thank-you" bite. That's it. MANY times, that's all they do. It IS hard because as a mother I always worry about them eating nutritional meals, but I think the more we focus on the eating/not eating, the more we encourage eating disorders later on in life. Before you know it, he'll be a teen and you won't be able to keep enough food in the house :-) That's my 2-cents. Take care.

Hi B.,

When my eldest son [who is now a slender, healthy almost 30 year old family man] was young i was concerned about his diet. he would reject fattening foods. he'd take an apple when given the choice between apple or cake. When i told the nutritionist/doctor my concerns she said if he's eating a small [2 bites worth?] carrot a day that was enough. This helped me relax about his choices. Lots of choices available is key. And not being overly concerned is the other. Enjoy your son! He sounds adorable and knows what his body wants.

Best wishes,
K. C

B.,

Many times when parents make a big deal about food it becomes a control issue. I would leave him alone and let him eat what he wants. Don't force, it could make him hate eating all together. As long as he is healthy (even if he is skinny) don't worry. To make sure he is getting all his nutrients, however, you may want to give him a daily vitamin.

L. :)

My seven year old is as skinny as a rail. His four year old sister weighs the same, if not more than he does. Ask him if he gets stomach aches, my daughter has acid reflux and sometimes doesn't want to eat due to that. Then I would have his pediatrician check him over from head to toe, including bloodwork. Hyperactive kids, like my son have a hard time gaining weight. His little body just burns up all the calories he eats. At meal times we make a "deal" when he says he is done, I say take eight more bites. Then we negotiate down to about five or so. We also let him snack on peanut butter cups. I figure the peanut butter at least has some protein in it. We have also tried mixing those vanilla instant breakfasts into his milk for cereal and into shakes.

good luck!!

I wouldn't worry too much.My son was that when he was 7.He is now 10 and weighs only 62 pounds.His 3 year old brother is 40 and his 7 yr old sister is 50lbs.Is he eating much at all?

B. my daughter is not much bigger than your son. She has a little boy in her clss that is much smaller than her in pre-k he had to eat 3 times while at school (healthy snacks)in a 3 hour time frame. All because he had an extrememly high metabolism rate. Is your sons Dr. a pediatrician? My Dr. says that I have a petite little girl and that as long as she is eating healthy things that she is fine. I do make sure she gets a viatmin a day. She usually snacks on fruit or veggies and of course we have cookies once in a while. I have also heard that there stomachs are small and fill up faster so will eat less but more often. I am still surprised that his Dr. is that concerned unless there is another problem.

We have a 6 year old daughter who is very small for her age. She is 32 pounds and 42 inches high. My husband is 6' 6" and I am 5' 4", so our kids should be at least in the 50% range for height and weight and she is below 3%. She keeps falling off the growth chart and her doctor has started doing additional testing; referred us to an endocrinologist. Every test that they have done though comes back normal - we would be more worried but she is so healthy. She was a very picky eater but has just lately started eating a little bit more.

HI~ I totally understand where you come from. I have a 5 year old who is tiny. I am 5'2 and my husband is 5'7. His uncle is 5'9 and was exactly the same make like my boy when he was small. He had a growth spurt late in high school and in his freshman year of college. I know, its soo hard as I have a niece that will be three next month and she is an inch taller and about 15 pounds heavier than my boy! Sigh...

Just feed him healthy food, healthy snacks. Sometimes when he is not hungry, I make him eat bites equal to his age. He is 5--5 bites before he leaves the table. At least that gets food in him. I do not know if this helps, but it does make me feel a bit better--I give him a daily supplement of "Tall Tree". You can find this at Whole Foods, Just food coop, or at Valley Natural Foods in Burnsville. Hope this helps!!

I, too, have a 7-year old boy (w/ a heart condition - had open heart surgery at 1 week old) and he weighs a mere 42 lbs!! He was 5 lbs 13 oz when born; I am small, my husband is a big guy. He is not a big eater either. Our peditrician and cardiologist both state that so long as he is growing in inches, he will be fine. He will eat when he is hungry, etc. So don't worry...continue to put him at the dinner table with the two of you, etc. so that he has that routine; and when he eats he will eat. Don't hound him to eat, "get eating," "hurry up," etc., that will just add stress to the three of you. Good luck

I would definately take him to an dietician, allergist or naturopath to see if he has food allergies that are causing him to vomit.

He may also be suffering from stomach ulcers brought on by stress or illness, which might be causing him to not want to eat. Bullying at school can be the source of numerous health problems in children, including digestive problems. Aloe vera juice is good for stomach ulcers and massage therapy and good counseling can help calm his nerves if this is the case.

Don't load him up with empty calories (those found in ice cream, breakfast pizza, etc.). Make sure that when he does eat he eats healthy high fiber foods to fill him up and ensure he's getting the nutrients he needs (fresh fruits and veggies). The junk food will only do him more harm than good in the long run!

Keep in mind, at 7 he may just be going through a growth spurt. If you and your husband are skinny, don't overrule the possibility that he may just be naturally thin (perhaps even more slender than you both).

Lastly, make sure he's not snacking, or sneaking food when you're not looking so he's not full when meal time comes around. You may also want to look into the possibility of an eating disorder. He's young, but it does happen... and he may be a "healthy" skinny now, but if he does have a problem, he needs to get help now or it could cost him his life.

Good luck!

As long as your son is eating healthy ammounts then why push him? Some people just digest food faster then others. If he eats well at meals and says that he isnt hungry at other times please dont push him!!! By pushing him to eat until he vomits is onyl going to make him want to eat less because the feeling that he is getting when you do that to him is nausea. My daughter is in the 10th percentile for her age and in the 75% for height. She is tall and skinny. But kids know when they are hungry....why force him to eat if he feels full? Just slow down, and relax. Make aure that he is eating healthy ammounts of healthy food at meals and then give him some ensure or boost or something throughout the day as a snack. If you overreact to him not eating then he might begin to refuse to eat just for your attention. I wish you luck!!!

B.,

I didn't read the other responses, so I'm sorry if this is duplicative. I don't know if this is part of what's going on with your son, but for a lot of kids it's all about control. I have a daughter who is very small for her age, which is shocking to me because I come from a family of really big kids and my husband and I are quite tall. Reading "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense" by Ellyn Satter has been very helpful for me. The methods of the book have helped my daughter eat better and they've helped me quit worrying/feeling guilty.

Good luck!

Hi my name is E., And I hope I can help!First of all, don't force the child, make a food game, try fruits, lots of fruits! Your child is growing and is ok! my Grand son stop eating meat! And it drove us up the wall! He started back last week! as long as you 7 year old get plenty of out doors, have fun with the family! sleeps well,Don't worry, But have him checked out by a Dr. just for being worry free! have a great day and God bless you E.

see another doc to find out what he or she sees

B.--I can completely relate to your food issues with your son. My son is 6 and has always been an extremely picky eater and because he won't eat ANY fruits or veggies, I've had to be sneaky. Have you tried the V8 Fusion juice? Also, organic popcorn is good because then at least he gets some fiber. I've also made "milkshakes" a lot--I buy Herbalife protein drinks for kids and jazz it up with a frozen banana, whole milk, a little cinnamon and a dash of chocolate syrup. He loves them! You could try the Pediasure shakes as well. I make my own chicken nuggets and "fries", the healthy versions of course. I also give him a multivitamin every day.

Lastly, since your son is old enough to reason, you should be able to find an angle and reason with him on eating. For instance is he into sports? Music? You could tell him that if he does not eat, he will not grow big and strong and be able to do those things. I always tell my son that his health means the world to me and eating is part of being healthy. The I sat him down and asked him to list all the foods he loves to eat.

Somedays are still a battle, but I hope as he grows older, he will eat more. I hope that helps!

First thing to try is take him shopping with you, let him pick out and help plan meals. Have him help prepare meals with you, this may make him more interested, even try baking, you can make healthy snacks together, find ways to make meals fun, have breakfast for dinner. Another thing is have his thyroid checked, my daughter has Graves disease and her eating habits and weight go back and forth, she is 10 and about the same weight as your boy, she is also 4'7". You can also supplement with pedisure drinks and things like that. Get him on a vitamin. He will eat eventually, but maybe you should see a gastronologist(sp?). I hope this helped some. ____@____.com if you'd like to communicate further. I have a degree working in education with children birth to 5 and some older, I am not a medical professional but I am a mother of 3 girls ages 10, 13 and 16 and have had my share of medical issues, I do have some pretty good knowledge.
Take care
K.

If the doctor is concerned, they should do some testing.

You say he is not eating because he feels sick. I would start eliminating food allergy items, check for celiac disease (gluten intollerance) and lactose intollerance. Start with milk--go to lactaid or soy milk. All 3 of my boys are lactose intollerant and we are moving to a more gluten free diet as well to hopefully eliminate other stomach issues.

Keep a log of things that he can eat and those that make him sick.

There are other lots of great responses for snack ideas--I think I will try them myself!! If the doctor has not suggested testing for celiac and allergies, I suggest you bring it up. Keep out the snacks and make sure there is nothing else going on.

Good luck!!
J.--mom of 3 little tornados and married to one, too!!