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Major help needed - 14 month-old refusing to eat and drink enough

Started by Mrs. P. , author of My Life as a Christian Wife and Mom 1/1/2011 6:01:18 PM

My 14 month-old daughter has always had a small appetite. She has reflux, but it is controlled with Prevacid. When she started getting bumpy gums (only a few months ago) she went off most solids (except for a "mouse nibble" here and there). She cut her first tooth (right lateral incisor) at 13 months. The last two weeks, she's cut two more (bottom middle incisors) and has 3 or 4 that look like they will be cut in the next week or 2. The problem is that now she doesn't even want her bottle (forget about a sippy cup or straw at this point - she won't even put it to her lips). She's at the point now where she's averaging less than 20 oz of her Bright Beginnings Pediatric Soy Drink (basically a soy version of pediasure or boost kid essentials that the doctor recommended due to her small appetite and dairy problems). She's growing and developing normally other than that, but her weight is so low it's almost off the growth chart. I had just gotten it back up by switching to another bottle, and now it's going right back down because the second she started cutting those bottom two teeth, she wanted no parts of it. I've tried backing off on the pressure to eat/drink, but then she happily takes in nothing. Have any of you ever experienced this? Does anyone have any advice?

 

BTW: I've tried ibuprofen, Tylenol, and Baby Orajel. They seem to make her more comfortable, but have no effect on how much she will eat/drink.

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Reply by Kimberly

author of Raising Olives 1/9/2011 4:49:35 AM

Feeding problems can be so difficult.  Is she actually losing weight?  If so contact your doctor right away.  There may be something more wrong.

If she's not actually losing weight it could be that she just doesn't currently need those calories.  It seems that our children go through times and seasons when they eat (and grow) a lot and then suddenly they just stop eating.  Our 2 year old recently did this.  He was eating a sandwich and a half (in addition to other things) at lunch time and then he suddenly stopped and now eats less than a 1/4 of a sandwich and just a taste of his sides.

I had a doctor tell me once that healthy children will eat if they are hungry and they often know better than we do what their food needs are.  That said, if you're at all concerned, talk to your doctor. 


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