I have a dck that is fairly new. Been with me a few months.

almost 2 years old, sweet as can be. BUT the child refuses to eat any form of fiber of any kind and it's causing issues with their bowel movements.

parents said dck won't eat any fruit or veg at home either. I blend in a lot of my veggies and all of my other kids eat it. not this one. parents said only eats chips, cherrios and crackers at home. I don't serve any of those.

So far the only thing she will eat here is bread, which makes matters worse not better.

I have noticed that about every other day when the child tries to have a bowel movement, they crunch down, scream, cry, and sometimes go to in to fetal position, shaking with pain trying to poop. It is the saddest thing I have ever seen. Often it this has gone on for about 30-45min trying to go. Yesterday I had to call for pick up, it was over an hour.

I told the family they needed to talk to their doctor, to which they said they have and the doctor said to keep offering, don't fight it.

Is there anything that I can do here? Any ideas you ladies may have?

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I have a kid just like this. Not sure if this would work for you, but he loves those yobaby brand yogurt drinks with the caps. From there, I started giving him organic baby food in pouches (yes, really), and that is how he now gets his fruits and veggies. He eats 1-2 of those per day. Totally expensive, but literally nothing else worked. Hth!

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I doubt dck would try the yogurt drink. I gave yogurt here and they spit it out.

not too sure what the other things are, but they may be worth the shot to tell the parents. I am on the food program and don't think they will allow me to serve those?? I could be wrong, but have to check.

thanks for your help...

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I have dcm provide them now just due to the cost. He will also eat dehydrated strawberries, but not regular ones- it's been a lot of trial and error over a year long process.

Maybe they just need to get tough with him and not give him the foods he likes and he will kind of have to eat healthy? I know, easier said than done.

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We had to use miralx in my dds milk when she was little. She ate well, but constipated very easily. We had to keep her on a strict diet for about a year (18m-2.5) and then her tummy sorted itself out.

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Smoothies? Zucchini bread? Apple or blueberry muffins? Maybe if he eats some of those he will get ised to the taste of fruit and veggies and you can introduce more from there.

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This little one picked out all the blueberries and other fruit breads we made. Lol

I made eggplant bread with honey and she refused it.
Carrot bread took out all of the good stuff basically mushed it up.

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Could you put a limit on the time that she is in discomfort? say call for pick up after 30 mins.?

Ask parents to take her for another opinion?

My dd was like that (constipation) and it was pretty awful to hear her in pain. We ended up using Miralax, too. She was a prem so had a lot of issues that she eventually outgrew.

We also made sure that she had tons of water to drink. I would puree veggies and fruits and hide them in casseroles and other dishes. Still do. Jessica Seinfeld has a cookbook that has a lot of really good recipes and ideas for 'hiding' foods. We tried a lot of those with some success.

Keep offering and hopefully she'll catch on that it tastes good.

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Well if sending her home doesn't prompt the parents to change their ways then I don't know what will. That was a good idea!

Will she eat raisins or dried fruit as those are more candy-like?

Maybe the doctor could suggest something to put in her drinks if they do that for children. I'm not sure. Something Metamucil-like.

I am prone to constitpation myself and I eat more fruits/veggies than any other adult I know. It seems I have to eat twice as much as the average human to get the same results. Ugh. Oh plenty of water too.

Laurel

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I have not but, thanks for that idea. I have never seen a kid like this before and so stubborn about food. It's crazy.

the parents said they tried to with hold carbs and such and only offer fruits and veg but then the kids would go days without eating.

True about the water and with the heat right now, it's really bad so i am implementing more water breaks..

I will try that cookbook.

Also talk to parents again about seeing the doc. no one should have to suffer like this....and I don't blame the parents, they are trying too, just cant find anything that works.

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I agree send home for discomfort. If they cave at home and give chips, why should child eat healthy for you?
Kids got a great system going.

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I would call an emergency meeting with the parents. The discomfort she's in sounds awful! SOMETHING needs to be done, like right NOW. Neither you nor the child should have to deal with this I can't imagine a doctor being ok with a child being in pain like you're describing. I would suggest to the parents: Miralax or prune juice, telling them you're sending home after 30 minutes of discomfort, and that they really need to work on the fruit/veggie thing at home.

I have a couple dcks that won't touch healthy stuff either so I feel your pain. It's really tough

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Fiber bars? chewable fiber gummies (parents give, of course). I would call as soon as child was in pain. Unable to participate=go home.

This needs to be back on the parents, where it belongs. They created the monster.

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Have you tried high fiber bread and pushing fluids?

ITA that bottom line it's on the parents because the child wouldn't eat only chips, etc, if they didn't give those things to her.

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Many kids at her age are picky eaters at her age but what you are describing is NOT typical picky eating. When picky eating is so extreme that is causes significant digestive issues, a professional needs to get involved. I would suggest that mom go back to the pediatrician and INSIST that dcg be referred for a feeding evaluation. There are Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists that are specially trained to help young children who are averse to so many foods.

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Just a public service announcement for the forum. There are picky eaters that are created by a parents bad habits but, during my career in special education I worked with many kiddos whose parents resorted to giving their kiddos anything to get food in their stomach. "Junk" food tends to be high in sodium, sugar, and other flavors that kids with food sensory issues seek. So kids that won't eat anything at all, will eat things with those extreme flavors.

When those foods are taken away, I have seen kids with feeding issues go without food when denied preferred foods. I never knew that a child would starve themselves until I met one with genuine feeding issues. If you have a little one in your care whose picky eating seems on the extreme side, it doesn't hurt to recommend a visit to the pediatrician to rule out issues.

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thanks ladies..

this is pretty extreme....yesterday I make home made apple sauce...refused to eat it and I tried to help try a bite, dck gag and almost threw up.....

I do think a lot of it is sensory. does not like most food that is chewy or mushy.

I think I might have to break down and get some cherrios or the child will not eat here ever.

today I made tofu burger with lentils and green spinach, she did try one bite, but spit it all out. All of my dcks love it, but this one is not going to survive here without some sort of food.

I will talk to the parents again about taking back to the doctors....

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You've gotten good advice here, Daycare, and I really hope her parents step up and listen to you because I know it's very, very frustrating ... Anyway, sorry to sidetrack, but I am interested in your eggplant bread! I've never heard of it. It sounds so interesting. What exactly is it?

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yes this form is awesome and always gives great ideas... I hope the parents step up too...


1 cup honey or agave
2 cups sifted almond flour
1 teaspoon low sodium salt
2 cups grated and drained raw eggplant, I soften it some to make it easy to add in
1/2 cup coconut oil or applesauce....
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
Dates or raisins

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I have a son like that. He's a sensory eater- oral aversion. He will just not eat if it's not one of his safe foods. When I first brought it up to his ped when he was 2 years old, he had lost 4 lbs within 6 weeks to not eating at the center. The center is on the food progrAm so the ped gave a prescription to allow the center's kitchen to serve him his safe foods along with the regular meal until we got things sorted with other professionals.

Son saw a nutritionist and occupational therapist to work in things. After a while, we changed his food prescription as he was willing to try more things. He's 5 now and his only change in the centers meals is that things are separated. So instead of lasagna, he gets a dish of plain cooked noodles, side of beef, side of sauce. He won't eat it all together, but will now try things individually. Still not perfect but light years from where we were.

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Tetra ( I think is the name) makes a sweet potato chip that you could try, high in fiber and other vitamins. To this extreme it is not normal picky eating this is an oral aversion to texture and taste. He wants something bland and crunchy that he can eat with his fingers. Miralax and metamucil is a great start. Maybe set out a small bowl with veggie chips, peanuts, small tasteless veggies like celery carrots and iceberg lettuce. I have hard of hearing kids and they all have food problems, so of them need food in cubes or strips.
That being said there may be an under lying hearing or inner ear problem that is triggering the eating problems.

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