Scream Cries At The Site Of Food?

[daycare]

I have a dcb that has been with me almost 2 months. DCB is 22 months and just became a big brother.

about 90% of the time when DCB comes (right before breakfast) he will scream at the site of the food on the table. The parents said he does the same thing at home and so they dont fight him, so he just does not eat. Issue is that dcb is super tiny and under weight. Parents have taken him to the doc to see if there were any gag issues, gastric issues, or allergies, everything came back negative.

If I allowed this child and I have, he will go all day with no food or drink at all and is here for almost 10 hours. The parents are at wits end with it too.

Right now the poor little guy is sitting beside me scream crying. I have tried to have him play as soon as he gets here, or allow him to color, maybe even a little tv time, but no matter when I bring him to the table the cry fest starts.
It also bothers the other kids really bad. Even my one that is hearing impaired.

Any idea what I can do or that the parents and I can do??

[cheerfuldom]

sounds exhausting. i have a special needs child that was similar, refuses food to the point of losing weight and she is already very skinny and low energy. the only thing that I have found to work with her is to spoon feed everything in small bites (even though she is 2.5). I would never do this for any other kid but this is what it takes to keep her healthy and I am willing to go the extra mile for this family.

[Cat Herder]

Has he been to an ENT to check for ear/sinus/throat issues?

Will he happily eat junk food?

[daycare]

Has he been to an ENT to check for ear/sinus/throat issues?

Will he happily eat junk food?

yes he has been to ENT, found nothing....the NOT eating is not new, it has been going on for months.... according to the parents.

The child will not calm down enough for me to spoon feed anything at all and I don't and cant force food....

[Cat Herder]

Sorry... I'll re-word.

Have you tried to see if he will eat typical "convenience" foods in an attempt to isolate the issues before you?

If I get one who refuses food I tend to offer goldfish, frozen pizza, canned pastas or PBJ a couple times just to see if they gobble that down fast... Sometimes it indicates they are just accustomed to eating "kids" foods, only...

THAT I know how to fix....

[countrymom]

well, nannyde said that if they don't want to eat them send them to play. I think your going to have to do this. Don't allow him to cling to you or go near the table, esp. when he's crying. Hopefully that works.

if that doesn't then he gets to sit in a highchair away from the kids with small amount of food on a try. I find it odd that no one is doing anything about it. Does he drink milk, i'm wondering if he's filling him self up with liquids thats why.

[countrymom]

Sorry... I'll re-word.

Have you tried to see if he will eat typical "convenience" foods in an attempt to isolate the issues before you?

If I get one who refuses food I tend to offer goldfish, frozen pizza, canned pastas or PBJ a couple times just to see if they gobble that down fast... Sometimes it indicates they are just accustomed to eating "kids" foods, only...

THAT I know how to fix....

I just had some canned pasta, I love it, but my own kids will not eat it. My ds always says that its not real pasta. Even frozen pizzas, mine are so picky. I've created monsters who don't want to eat frozen processed food.

[Cat Herder]

I just had some canned pasta, I love it, but my own kids will not eat it. My ds always says that its not real pasta. Even frozen pizzas, mine are so picky. I've created monsters who don't want to eat frozen processed food.

:::: Mine, too... They say it looks like someone already ate it.....::

[daycare]

Sorry... I'll re-word.

Have you tried to see if he will eat typical "convenience" foods in an attempt to isolate the issues before you?

If I get one who refuses food I tend to offer goldfish, frozen pizza, canned pastas or PBJ a couple times just to see if they gobble that down fast... Sometimes it indicates they are just accustomed to eating "kids" foods, only...

THAT I know how to fix....

sorry I forgot to answer that...busy morning... NO, he will not eat anything I put in front of him....I have tried French fries, cookies, jello, candy........NOTHING

[daycare]

well, nannyde said that if they don't want to eat them send them to play. I think your going to have to do this. Don't allow him to cling to you or go near the table, esp. when he's crying. Hopefully that works.

if that doesn't then he gets to sit in a highchair away from the kids with small amount of food on a try. I find it odd that no one is doing anything about it. Does he drink milk, i'm wondering if he's filling him self up with liquids thats why.

ZERO no liquids no food...BOth here and at home. Obviously, its not every day that he does this all day I would say that it is most of the time..... I am going to talk to the parents about putting him on pedisure (sp)

hes 22 months and might weight about 15-18 lbs....he is super tiny and still wears 12month clothing..... the parents are just as concerned as I am. They actually just changed doctors, as they are not happy with the answers and results from the previous one.

I have also tried to just have him go play, but I do have to make him sit for at least some period of time for each meal. BUT as soon as he see's the food or hears the word "eat" or wash hands or food the scream crying starts.

BTW this child is very very very stubborn. both parents and I agree on this...

[Meyou]

Does he drink alot of milk?

[daycare]

Does he drink alot of milk?

no zero....on average when he does drink something, I would say it is way less than 1/4 cup... I am also noticing that he is starting to nap more.....

[Daycaremomof2]

Aww poor thing! He's probably screaming because he is hungry

You said the parents have to fight him to eat- I wonder if food/eating has a negative association for him, after all of the drama surrounding it?

Is there ANYTHING the child likes to eat at all? If so, I would start with that and then give lots of positive reinforcement. When my daughter gets like hat sometimes, I have her feed me a bit, and say, "mmmm, mommy loves this," and then she will take a bite too.

One of my dcb doesn't eat much either, and it literally takes him an hour to eat a small handfull of food. I just keep adding new things to his meal and trying to make it fun and pleasant. Hopefully he will get it.

What about trying some enriched drinks/pediasure, etc, just to he gets some nutrition?

[Daycaremomof2]

well, nannyde said that if they don't want to eat them send them to play. I think your going to have to do this. Don't allow him to cling to you or go near the table, esp. when he's crying. Hopefully that works.

if that doesn't then he gets to sit in a highchair away from the kids with small amount of food on a try. I find it odd that no one is doing anything about it. Does he drink milk, i'm wondering if he's filling him self up with liquids thats why.

I also find it odd. If that were my child I would take them to every specialist out there until I found a solution. Clearly there is either a medical or psychological food association issue that needs to be worked out. This child is failing to thrive, and that is really scary

[daycare]

Aww poor thing! He's probably screaming because he is hungry

You said the parents have to fight him to eat- I wonder if food/eating has a negative association for him, after all of the drama surrounding it?

Is there ANYTHING the child likes to eat at all? If so, I would start with that and then give lots of positive reinforcement. When my daughter gets like hat sometimes, I have her feed me a bit, and say, "mmmm, mommy loves this," and then she will take a bite too.

One of my dcb doesn't eat much either, and it literally takes him an hour to eat a small handfull of food. I just keep adding new things to his meal and trying to make it fun and pleasant. Hopefully he will get it.

What about trying some enriched drinks/pediasure, etc, just to he gets some nutrition?

the parents tell me that they used to battle him to eat months and months ago before he was even in my care and the doctor told them to stop. they did and they said that it did improve, but not much.

I have gone through great lengths to try to get him to eat and since 8:30 am this child has been scream crying. My head hurts and all the kids are upset.....I think he might be going home. Right now there is nothing I can do to soothe him.

I am sure he is scream crying because he is so hungry, but does not understand that its because hes hungry..