help*my boy of 3 wont eat alot and he has really weaird habbits?

Question

he likes to chew things like velcro and chews the straps on his shoes also like bitting things like foam help

for the people who said go to the doc i have about three times they say he will grow out of it

my doc says he is probly one of the healthest kids he see as he has alot of fruit and veg plus he loves having his one a day jeely vitiem, so thanks to the people who say to give him a smack you need to grow up and get a life you must not have a child of your own as your one yourself idiot!

Answer 1

It doesn't sound as if you have anything to worry about. His habits are no weirder than any other 3 year old. Children like that age like the texture of different things and mouths are very sensitive to texture.
Unless he's losing weight don't fuss too much about his diet. Never let food become a battleground because you'll lose. Do the obvious; avoid feeding him between meals, cut down on sugary food and drinks. If you're introducing new foods just give him a small amount; ignore it if he leaves it but make it clear you enjoy it. Don't reduce fat as he needs that for energy. If he likes milk give him full fat milk for the same reason.

Answer 2

I dont know that I'd worry so much about it. Oftentimes three year olds wont eat very much, just because of the fact that they have a smaller stomach. What he most likely needs is a lot of small (healthy of course) snacks throughout the day. Its really normal for toddlers to prefer such an eating schedule. And as for the chewing on velcro, shoe straps, and foam: all children go through a stage of exploring their world through their mouths. True, three years old might be a little bit late for that, but its probably best to let him get it out of the way, so that he doesnt have to deal with an oral fixation issue later on in life.

Answer 3

a lot of kids do these things , ignore it don't make a big thing out of it, do you sit him at the table for his meals,? if not the start to do so and the tv should be off at the time a child that is offered food will not suffer from malnutrition, i was told that by a doctor at a huge hospital because my son would only eat two plain biscuits a day when he was little. i was told to stop the normal biscuits and give him the same as we were eating,by the time you have finished your meal and the table cleared take his plate away if he hasn't eaten any of it and then he has to wait for the next meal to eat,it sounds cruel but it isn't he is controlling you with food, give it a try anyway,good luck

Answer 4

Toddlers are often picky eaters. At times the best thing is to just find something they do like and include it in every meal while also offering something new. When my son was 3 I would use a tray like you would have in school and fill each little part of the tray up with different items.

As for the chewing... it doesn't sound very concerning. My son is 5 now and still chews the corners of his jacket and thinks that licking the sole of his shoe is hilarious. Your son may just like to explore things with his mouth- unless he is EATING weird things I wouldn't even worry.

Answer 5

Some children do "mouth" things as a part of the teething process (they're still getting molars in at this age) and just for oral stimulation. Believe it or not, it can actually help them to develop their speech and tolerate a toothbrush in their mouth! You might try giving him things that are acceptable to chew on like vinyl infant books, oral stimulators (found in the store near baby toothbrushes) and teething rings like you would purchase for a much younger baby.

As for not eating a lot, some kids are funny at this age and they get very selective about their diet. We call it "The Toddler Diet" and it often contains foods with no color. Crackers, Cheerios, toast, plain pasta, mashed potatoes, the occasional cheese bit if you're lucky, maybe banana and milk. As long as he's growing and gaining weight normally, this is not a problem and, if handled properly, is likely only temporary.

Continue to put small bits of foods he refuses on his plate at each meal. Most children need to have a new food presented to them at least 20 times before they will try it. They have to get used to the way it looks, smells, feels, and sits on the plate. He may begin by looking at it for a few presentations... closer examination then... one day he'll poke it... then he'll play with it by mashing it around... and then some day he'll put it into his mouth to explore it that way and if he finds it pleasant, he's just added a new food to his diet.

If he's small, underweight, etc and the pediatrician is concerned about his intake, then consider supplementing his diet with toddler formula (like Similac Advance) or with Ensure products available in your local grocery or drug store.

Best to you!

Answer 6

There is nothing wrong with your son. Kids go through some strange things as they grow up...my daughter ate dog food! Doctor looked at the ingredients on the bag and told me other than the taste he could see nothing wrong with her eating it. My cousin used to eat the heads off of burnt matches...(this was long before disposable lighters). One theroy is that they do these things because their bodies are lacking in certain vitamins, or chemicals or whatever, I figure it's just a phase they have to go through. Just wait until he is in his teens and begins his "goth" phase...LOL

Answer 7

As long as the items that he chewing are clean and he`s not ingesting them don`t worry about it, he may just likes the texture. My 4 year old likes sucking silky labels. My doctor says not to worry its a phase and that he`ll grow out of it

Answer 8

Could be a form of 'tactile defensiveness'. Does he not like walking on sand maybe, or grass (barefoot) or being washed with a flannel or anything like this? It can be a problem feeding children who are sensitive to texture. If it does sound like this and he refuses to eat try approaching your doctor again (do some research first) and asking to be referred to your local 'feeding team' who can give you advice

Answer 9

That is typical of kids that age. You give them food, and they would rather eat everything that they aren't supposed to! It is their way of exploring our world and the things in it. Don't read too deep into it, I would be more concerned if he didn't taste test everything around him. And they are right about asking teenagers, only maybe they need to realize more than teenagers are on this site, and we have plenty of experience in the field of children. Maybe they should not try to answer questions that they have no clue about. Problem solved for them, and us. The comments they are posting says it all.

Answer 10

Continue trying to give him healthy food and give it character names, for example, make a shepherds pie with extra veg in it and say "ooh look, its Buzz light year pie! buzz Light Year loves to eat his pie". Relate it to something he likes to watch and it will inspire him to want to eat it.

As for the chewing things, its his way of finding new things, he will grow out if it!