He is developmentally fine--can do puzzles, legos, etc, just not that interested in self feeding, even finger foods. He will eat if I feed him and I can't just not feed him until he does it himself. He is also considered FTT (weight and height bellow 3rd percentile). Any suggestions, besides consulting a doctor.
2007-03-06 15:34:27 · 9 answers · asked by purple 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Sounds like your lil one is a lot like mine was! Just reassure yourself that your son will NOT starve himself! Offer him healthy choices and then let him pick. With most kids you can take the food away and only offer it at mealtimes which makes them eat on a schedule but when you have one that is falling off the charts in the other direction you have to be creative! Let healthy snacks sit out for him to find as he plays. Some pediatricians also recommend getting them on Pediasure just to make sure that their needs are being met. Vitamins for kids are also real helpful!
Just know that he will eat enough to thrive but if you are concerned after all of this then I would go to the doctor.
From a mom who has been there! It will get better!
2007-03-06 15:47:13 · answer #1 · answered by Sheree H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
At 3 he needs to learn that he can't pick and choose what he wants to do. If you tell him to use his fork then he needs to use his fork.
Since it is important that he eats healthy meals then I would continue feeding him his meal but make sure that it is a healthy one. He needs to eat whatever you put on that spoon. If he eats all that you fixed him then offer him dessert - a bowl of ice cream or pudding. Don't let him have this unless he uses a spoon. If he doesn't use a spoon then throw it away. He understands now what you are telling him so explain that he has a choice use his spoon or no dessert.
You can also get something special out after dinner - like playdough - set it on the table and let him know that if he uses the fork than he can play with the playdough when all of his food is eaten. It might also work with painting and glueing or cutting.
Good Luck - remember you are the parent. He is no longer a baby. He is no longer a toddler. He is a preschooler that needs to use utensils.
Good Luck. SD
2007-03-06 16:47:40 · answer #2 · answered by SD 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all you have to know that if you continue to do it for him, he will let you do it because he likes for you to lol. Not to worry though this is normal, you just need to put it in his hand and put his hand to his mouth. He probably just don't like getting his hands dirty this could be a bit of sensory issue, you can fix it by letting him play in different textures of food. Just submerge his hand in it before you get started feeding him.
The more you put it in his hands and encourage him the better he will get at it.
I have an Autistic child and this is what we did for him to get him using his on fingers, then we had trouble getting him to use a spoon and and to do that hand over hand for a while. Just keep working at it, he will scream the first couple of times or even longer maybe but again repitition is the key. Just make him do it for a few minutes by himself and then gradually add on to the time until he is doing it all by himself.
Hope this helps good luck
2007-03-06 17:18:12 · answer #3 · answered by trhwsh 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know how food looks when you go out to eat at a nice restaurant? Nice presentation right? That's what worked for me. My son won't eat a waffle cut up into bite size pieces, but if I slice it up like pizza he'll eat two whole wheat waffles! But I have to heat up sugar free syrup and put it in a nice glass dish otherwise no eating. He will also eat cheese quesadillas sliced up like pizza, too.
My son has gone through stages where I supplemented his food with PediaSure nutrition drinks, and they helped him gain some weight and look more filled out. There are bars, like protein bars, made by the pediasure company that are really good, too.
I give my kids Flintstones vitamins or gummy bear vitamins, give them whole milk with chocolate syrup so it's tasty and has more calories that way. Plus when it tastes that darn good, they drink a lot more of it. They need it!
I would keep encouraging him to eat, feed him if you have to and in another few months he'll probably be eating you out of house and home. Mine went from wanting to be spoon fed to eating half a cheese pizza and big green salad at dinner!!
He'll eat like a pig on his own soon enough, so get ready for that. I have to grocery shop twice a week to keep us in fruit and veggies because my skinny boy is eating everything in sight.
2007-03-06 15:53:12 · answer #4 · answered by wwhrd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all stop calling him a 33 month old...he's almost 3 years old !
Some 8 year olds have trouble eating by themselves...nothing you can do except be patient. Children simply need love and patience. Try leaving the food in front of him and tell him that it's time to eat...don't feed him, let him sit there and realize that if he doesn't put the food in his mouth himself no one else will do it for him. It may sound cruel, but after he goes hungry for a couple of meals, he'll start eating by himself.
2007-03-06 15:46:18 · answer #5 · answered by GRANOLA 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
VERY NORMAL. IF MOM WILL DO IT, WHY SHOULD I ?
HAVE YOU TRIED -
THE MIMIC GAME? WHATEVER MOM DOES YOU DO, EAT YOUR FOOD, SEE IF HE'LL EAT HIS. MAKE IT FUN !! LAUGH AND ENJOY MAKING FACES AND EATING.
TRY PLAYING BABY. YOUR THE BABY, AND HE IS THE "MOMMY". HAVE HIM FEED YOU. MAKE IT GREAT FUN ! SUPER FINGER FOODS LIKE STRAWBERRIES, CHICKEN STRIPS, STUFF LIKE PICNIC FOODS. A BITE FOR THE "BABY" A BITE A BITE FOR THE "MOMMY", AND ENCOURAGE THIS AS A GAME. YES, DINNER WILL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, BUT IT IS JUST ONE MORE THING THAT CAN BE TOGETHER TIME, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL START A TREND OF SELF FEEDING.
I DON'T THINK THAT A DOCTOR WILL TELL YOU ANYTHING BUT TO HOLD OUT UNTIL HE DOES IT ON HIS OWN, IF THAT IS NOT THE ANSWER, MAYBE THE GAMES WILL WORK.
BEST OF LUCK !
2007-03-06 15:49:04 · answer #6 · answered by ne_art1 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would make dinner for my family and place dinner in front of our daughter and we all would begin eating. She just started watching us and began eating. I made sure that the food was cut up very small and I put a spoon and fork on the high chair, but she mostly played with them and ate the food with her fingers. Have you tried picking up a piece of food and holding it up for him to grab and then put in his mouth? You will have to be stronger than your son and you will probably have to listen to his very strong protests.
2007-03-06 15:50:38 · answer #7 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Start with simple foods that you won't mind picking up off the floor, and food you know that he likes. Then you just have to allow time. It will be hard. My daughter has not wanted to eat anything that I have given her, even foods that she has eaten and liked, before. My brother, who is a Dr., told me that as long as I am offering her the food and allowing her time to eat, she will eat when she is hungry. It will be very similar to your son. He will eat and learn to feed himself, as he learns that you won't do it for him. Give him drinks that are higher in protien and calories to help make up for food he won't eat in the beginning. Chances are he just likes Mommy to do this for him. As long as he is healthy don't worry.
2007-03-06 15:53:09 · answer #8 · answered by Emma2100 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
stop enabling him. if you dont feed him and ask him nicely to eat even when he's throwing a fit...be kind and relaxed and tell him he can do it and encourage him. if he is hungry he will eat. wait it out. you'll only have to do it once usually.
if that wont work...try bribery. works great for my 30 mo old!
2007-03-06 16:53:07 · answer #9 · answered by tryinthis2 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋