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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Very Worried About Health of a 18 Month DCG
logged out for privacy 12:16 PM 12-13-2011
DCG is 18 months old. Teeny tiny for her age. In the 10-20 percentile for height and weight. Now my own daughter was like this...but my own daughter ate like a horse.

This child does not eat anything. She doesn't eat fruit or veggies. She will eat bread and meat if it is really saucy. For example today we had sloppy joes on toasted wheat bread (I minced up some veggies and mixed it into her meat as well as put some on the sides) and cut it into fourths...She breaks her food apart and smashes it up into tiny little bites to eat. It took her 45 mins to eat one fourth of her sandwich and then she was done and full. I know I can't possibly get all the veggies she needs hidden into such a little amount of food.

Her bowl movements are almost always white and she either has diarrhea or she is severely constipated. When I say severely constipated I mean her bowel movements are sooo big and sooo hard that they get stuck and she screams and cries in pain and usually needs assistance.

When she had her last physical doc said she needed to be put on pediasure and fruit and veggies needed to be encouraged. She also has to go back to the doctor over Christmas break because her blood work showed an iron deficiency and her white blood cell count was off.

DCM seems to be wishy-washy most of the time on rather or not she cares or worries about the matter.

Any of you have children like this? What should I do about it?
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kidkair 12:33 PM 12-13-2011
Can you talk to the doctor yourself? Does she drink the pediasure? Does she drink juice? I'd see if I could get her to drink lots of fresh made juice or thick juices like Naked juice and V8 to get her fruit and veggies up. Does she eat more if you feed it to her vs her self feeding? Maybe go back to baby puree and baby cereal to get her to eat and get more iron? I'd be researching like crazy and talking to the parents like mad to get them to get her help as it sounds like she's failing to thrive.
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Unregistered 12:43 PM 12-13-2011
White poop is an emergency situation. My DD had one and I was told if it ever happens again, to bring her to the ER immediately.
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logged out for privacy 12:45 PM 12-13-2011
I've tried everything and can't get her to eat more. She refuses being spoon fed. DCM said she was like that as an infant also and when she began purees she would never eat a whole lot. She does drink apple juice but DCM doesn't like to give her juice and only does it when she is severely constipated like she is. I never thought about the V8 juice. I may run that by DCM as an idea but give that to her while she is here with her snack or something.

DCM goes back and forth between thinking she is just going to be "skinny and tall" and actually being worried about her.

I had another DCG sorta like this as a baby...but I believe it was because she drank loads and loads of milk and was to full of that to eat actual food. Once her milk intake was cut down she began eating foods. Now she is one of my best eaters.

This DCG however only drinks the recommended amount of milk.
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Meyou 12:55 PM 12-13-2011
Does she like to drink milk from a bottle or sippie cup?
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logged out for privacy 01:04 PM 12-13-2011
She was on a bottle but has been off of it for about 2 months. The v8 idea inspired me to figure out something around the house I could concoct up for her right now so I steamed up some broccoli and mixed it in a blender with some apple juice and she is chugging it down.
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Breezy 01:10 PM 12-13-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
White poop is an emergency situation. My DD had one and I was told if it ever happens again, to bring her to the ER immediately.
This is what I have been told as well.
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Country Kids 01:54 PM 12-13-2011
To the op, google white bowel movements. Might give you some insights to whats up. She might have something blocked and need to be seen right away!
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Blackcat31 01:59 PM 12-13-2011
Here is a good thread about this same topic....

https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27527
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AmyLeigh 02:05 PM 12-13-2011
Originally Posted by logged out for privacy:
She was on a bottle but has been off of it for about 2 months. The v8 idea inspired me to figure out something around the house I could concoct up for her right now so I steamed up some broccoli and mixed it in a blender with some apple juice and she is chugging it down.
Green Smoothies!!! My 23 mo dcg was in a similar situation, just not as severe. She came to me at 15 months, not walking, not talking, didn't eat, was so dehydrated her lips were chapped constantly and always constipated. Mom gives her pediasure daily. I started giving her green smoothies at least once a week. Just do like you did with the broccoli. Blend up some yummy fruit, yogurt, juice and add spinach or kale. You can't taste the greens, but because they are blended, the nutrients go into the blood stream faster. I use frozen fruit to make it more like a milkshake, but a younger one may need it to be a bit thinner. Try in in a straw cup if she can use one. The fiber in the fruits/veggies and the probiotics in the yogurt will help the digestive system, too. If you want recipes, just google green smoothies. There are a ton of ideas on the web.
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frgsonmysox 02:06 PM 12-13-2011
My daughter was never even on the growth charts, at 1 year she only weighed 15 lbs BUT the white poop is a huge warning flag that something is wrong health wise with this girl.
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AmyLeigh 02:24 PM 12-13-2011
Okay, so after processing the information a little more....I am wondering....If mom is made aware of a symptom of a very serious illness and doesn't take the child to the doctor for it, shouldn't it be reported to CPS? That would be considered medical neglect.
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frgsonmysox 03:38 PM 12-13-2011
I guess it kind of depends. I had people tell me my daughter was FTT because she was only 15 lbs at a year, but it was just genetics. She was supposed to be small. I wouldn't take my child to the doctors every time someone told me they thought he or she needed it. The poop IS a major concern, but she may not be aware how dire that is.
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CheekyChick 04:00 PM 12-13-2011
Poor baby...

I believe white stool means there is a problem with the liver. This mom NEEDS to get involved in her child's medical care. I would tell her that you would be happy to attend her doctor's appointment with her and you will tell her physician the issues that concern you. That MIGHT make her take this seriously.
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KEG123 04:33 PM 12-13-2011
baby girl needs to see the doctor, not even necessarily for the low weight, but for the white poop. I've always been told to take to the doctor for white poop. Not to mention the thread linked to above...
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countrymom 04:49 PM 12-13-2011
white poop can also mean that mom is giving her something for her loose stools, like kaopectate (they sell for children) she def. needs more fiber in her diet if her stool is hard. Also, start checking things out that have alot of iron in it, make fish sticks if you have to.
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SilverSabre25 05:05 PM 12-13-2011
Yes definitely the mom needs to have the white poop checked out. Please, PLEASE make sure this happens, and soon!
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logged out for privacy 06:50 PM 12-14-2011
dcg went to doctor with stool sample. Doc concluded that white poops were cause from having a white diet. The majority of what she ate: bread, oatmeal, milk, occasionally meats.

I've been allowing DCG to sit and eat as long as she needs. This am she had a bowl of oatmeal and bananas. It took her an entire 1hr and 15 mins to finish it herself but she got it done.

For lunch I got her to eat half a chicken taco even though she picked out all the veggies. Again this took her an hour.

For snack we had orange slices and crackers. She would only eat her crackers and drink her milk. So I got out the blender and mixed up a 1/4 cup of strawberry yogurt 1 cup of milk and half an orange. Filled up her sippy cup and she downed it in 5 mins.

DCM text this evening and said child pooped with normal color.

I think I will continue to serve her the regular meals as is no matter how long it may take her to finish a small amount of food. Then in the afternoon give her some type of smoothie and will add in some infant cereal for the iron.

I really appreciate all the advice!
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joysjustlikehome 06:39 AM 12-15-2011
I think it is wonderful how you are going above and beyond to help this little one!!! Just awesome! ~Joy
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CheekyChick 07:05 AM 12-15-2011
You are awesome!!!

It is wonderful that you are going the extra mile to make sure this little girl eats and that she's getting all the good nutrition possible. She was sent to you for a reason. Many child care providers wouldn't put out the effort you are.
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MarinaVanessa 07:27 AM 12-15-2011
Originally Posted by joysjustlikehome:
I think it is wonderful how you are going above and beyond to help this little one!!! Just awesome! ~Joy
Ditto here too!! That's awesome and I commend you for wanting to do this for your DC little. Although making smoothies may take time in your day I think it's a good way to solve the issue. It's obviously working because DCG is pooping normally, hopefully DCM will do this at home also.
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Ariana 09:37 AM 12-15-2011
Originally Posted by logged out for privacy:
dcg went to doctor with stool sample. Doc concluded that white poops were cause from having a white diet. The majority of what she ate: bread, oatmeal, milk, occasionally meats.

I've been allowing DCG to sit and eat as long as she needs. This am she had a bowl of oatmeal and bananas. It took her an entire 1hr and 15 mins to finish it herself but she got it done.

For lunch I got her to eat half a chicken taco even though she picked out all the veggies. Again this took her an hour.

For snack we had orange slices and crackers. She would only eat her crackers and drink her milk. So I got out the blender and mixed up a 1/4 cup of strawberry yogurt 1 cup of milk and half an orange. Filled up her sippy cup and she downed it in 5 mins.

DCM text this evening and said child pooped with normal color.

I think I will continue to serve her the regular meals as is no matter how long it may take her to finish a small amount of food. Then in the afternoon give her some type of smoothie and will add in some infant cereal for the iron.

I really appreciate all the advice!
Smoothies are a life saver for picky eaters. Whenever my DCK are sick I make them smoothies. Here are some things I put in them:
Almond milk and sometimes chocolate almond milk
Banana
flax oil
flax seed
protein powder
broccoli or any veggie
blueberries
strawberries
probiotics

They absolutely go crazy for smoothies!!
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Tags:health, won't eat, won't eat - vegetables
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