Need Help Ladies! My 3 Year Old Refuses to Eat Anything!

My first born was the same way. He would only eat mac-n-cheese, grilled cheese, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and grapes for a really long time. When he was around 8, the whole family had a 24 hour stomach virus-- his lasted a week because the doctor said his body didn't have the "reserves" from healthy foods to kick the virus. Since then, he gets it that he needs to eat healthier. I know it's different because your son is 3, but I'm telling you this as a cautionary tale to make sure you do whatever you can to get healthy FOODS (not just vitamin suppliments) into his little growing body. You have to get creative... Think of things this way--- try something you know is healthy and put it on his plate-- just a small amount. Don't force him to eat it but encourage and maybe even bribe him to take just one bite... Let's say scrambled eggs, for example, Then if he won't eat it, try the same food in a different form-- like you can dip the uncooked scrambled egg with bread and now you have french toast! Put syrup on it and he thinks it's a sweet treat but you know it's a sneaky way to get an egg into him!! My 2 year old eats french toast several times a week and if he eats nothing else that day but a cookie and juice at least I feel good about getting that egg into him-- and I use whole wheat bread so he gets that, too! A few bites of banana and it's a good day! Also, the juice I give him is the "Healthy Kids" version of orange juice, which is packed with extra vitamins (read the label compared to other OJ), so even watered down he gets a bit of something other than sugar from his juice.

this is serious.
http://www.kennedykrieger.org/kki_diag.jsp?pid=1084

I wouldnt worry or force him to eat, especially if he's sick. They all go through a stage. Serve meals and snacks at the appropriate time. Make sure its ONLY nutricious food right now. When he is hungry he will eat. As I'm fond of saying, no middle class American child has ever starved. Somehow they survive. Try not to sweat it. The more you re-act, the less he may eat strictly for the 'I'm 3 and want to control my own world' thing. In fact, I'd try to go the other way and when you are about to serve dinner say, "You're not eating, right?" Like its OK. This way if he says yes, he feels like it was his decision. And your saying that will not make him not eat if he was hungry and intended on eating to begin with. Good luck.

Do you have a blender or food processor? Make some meals nutrient dense by turning them into a fun smoothie. Mix fruits/veggies together with liquid or powdered vitamins, fiber supplement(for good bowels),plain fat-free yogurt(for good bacteria and enzymes),etc. It's important to make it beneficial to his body for growth and health yet yummy.

will he eat cheese? my daughter had a spell where she ate cheese, and milk, and eggs.his tummy might be very sensitive. try that..blessings
C.

He's 3 now, so he has the vocabulary to tell you certain things. Ask him what he'd like to eat. Then make that along with a variety of healthy options to choose from.
I've got incredibly picky children as well and it can be really frustrating to see the refusal of food over and over. But you've got to keep offering. And know what foods to fall back on that he'll "always" eat. Mine happen to love fruit. Grapes, melon balls, bananas, apple or pear slices (not canned). They'll eat yogurt or drink the little yogurt drinks. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are almost always eaten. And raisins. The other stuff is along the scale of sometimes they'll eat it, sometimes not.
If he wants chips, find the veggie chips and give him those. You can make mini muffins. Bacon. Everyone loves bacon! lol
Don't focus too much on what he eats in a single day, but more like what he eats in the span of a week at a time. And force feeding doesn't work, ever. You think you're trying to help him by having him just taste what he's refusing, but then the gagging starts. That's a bad road to go down. And it doesn't lead to anything good. Keep trying new things.

Have you tried asking him what he wants to eat? Maybe if given a choice, he will choose something. I know if I ask my kids what they want to eat, 9 out of 10 times they choose pancakes!

There are some great liquid vitamins at the health food stores and there are books upon books just for picky eaters. Have him pick out recipes with you and help you make them even. You're online, you can check for creative recipes there. Pancakes (made with oatmeal-or even regular ones are better than none-HOMEMEADE, please;o); spaghetti with extra veggies pureed in there. It's extra work, but well worth it. My first daughter is the same way. What about smoothies made with either milk or yogurt? Or banana bread? (all of these things are to be made at home please, so there are no additives!!!) I also use Superfood (it's a juice made with broccoli, apples, bananas, kiwi, garlic, pineapple, some other green stuff) and the "arrangement" with my daughter is that she either has to drink it or she has to eat veggies! Her only other saving grace, I think, is that she'll eat a decent variety of fruits...thank goodness! Good luck to you. I know how hard it is for you when your child isn't eating! Hugs to you!

When my oldest was around 3 he only ate chicken, hot dogs and mashed potatoes. He grew out of it. He is 36.
Check with his ped to rule out a throat infection. Sometimes they don't eat certain foods because it hurts to swallow. If it makes u feel better, there are nutitional supplements you can mix with his milk. Good luck and God bless you and your family.

I have a 23 month old that eats everything in sight at times and has never been picky but there are times when he doesn't eat enough to keep a bird alive. The last time he was in one of those moods it lasted about 2 weeks. What I do to help me feel better and know that he is getting what he needs is, I get him the Wal-mart brand Pediasure not Pedialyte. I put it in a 10oz. sippy cup filled up the rest of the way with whole milk. I don't give it whole but instead mix it for him every morning with his milk. On days when he isn't eating well I give him more than just one sippy cup full. He gets this first thing every morning. Just something to try to help you feel better and know that even though he isn't eating solids well enough he is still getting the nutrition and fat that he needs. :)

Hi Noelia,
Sounds to me like this is more than just a picky eating issue (the vomiting would worry me). Unfortunately, I do not have any advice for you other than to find a new pediatrician if your doctor does not offer you better advice. A qualified pediatrician should be able to advise on the best strategy for dealing with issues like this, as it seem it could be detrimental to his health if he is seriously eating nothing. Even if there is nothing wrong medically and is is just a behavioral problem, your ped. should be offering advice and help.

I had to go through two other pediatricians before I finally found the one we are with now who truly knows his stuff, and is able to provide advice and support on any issues my kids have. I have some to realize that for every great doctor out there, there are many more who aren't.