Help My 4 Yr Old Is Always Sick!!

Is there any possiblity that there is something physiologically wrong with her sense of taste or smell? That would affect her appetite. You could try adding herbs and spices to her food to make the smell and flavor of her food stronger, and see if this affects anything.

I now how frustrating it can be with a child who doesn't eat what you'd like. You might try taking her to a chiropractor. It's really amazing how much can be effected by a body needing a spinal adjustment. I could reccommend mine in Albuquerque but don't know any in AZ. Maybe you can ask around for a good referral or find one who specializes in pediatrics. It's definitely important to find someone who does very individual adjustments versus just adjusting everyone the same way every time. I have first hand experience with a good chiropractic adjustment helping with all around health. Good luck, M.

Hi,
Please ask your Dr. for a referral (if needed) to a good Occupational therapist who specializes in feeding concerns. It is common for children like her that have undergone surgeries and difficulties eating as an infant to develop food aversions. They do not start off with the good feeling that most babies receive while nursing or taking a bottle well, and the tubes and surgical procedures mean extra unpleasant handling. There is a good book therapists use called Just Take A Bite if you would like to read for more help. Also, if she drinks only, you could try thin smoothies with frozen fruit blended with juice and supplements. You may have to go slow with add-ins to get her used to taste. For instance, some children may be so sensitive that a good place to start is with a frozen strawberry added to water to introduce the flavor, and then gradually introduce more. It really can be an overwhelming task for parents so please seek some help from an occupational therapist or speech therapist trained in this area. I'm an occupational therapist as well, and would be happy to give you some other ideas while you're looking for a therapist. Best wishes!
Barb Morris

Maybe she has food allergies.... Go to an allergist & they will explain how to test for them. Will she drink Ensure? That is packed with vitamins & protein she needs & tastes pretty good. Good luck!

Spaghetti sauce and lasagna are good places to hide vegetables. I make my sauce with very finely chopped carrot, celery, onion and mushroom and the kids don't see the vegetables but love the food. You could probably put some finely chopped zucchini or other squash in too. Spinach would change the color/taste too much, I think.

Also, if she likes soup, you could make a vegetable soup and puree some of the vegetables with broth in the blender and then add the puree back to the broth.

Hi there!

My son has mild autism and has an awful diet as well. I also buy pediasure and give him vitamins. He just turned 5 and I pray that one day he'll at least like some meat. However, he doesn't get sick that often. I used to give him baby food for his veggies and fruits. You might want to try that or making muffins or bread with mashed fruit or veggies.

I just wanted you to know that....I FEEL YOU! I'll pray for your daughter.

T.

Hi J.,

I was the fifth out of 8 kids, and was a picky eater as well. when I was finally 16 Iconvinced my parents that I needed braces where they discovered I had an underdeveloped jaw... which was fixed surgically. At that point I was able to say, the reason I never liked to eat meat was the texture bothered me, it took me so long to chew it.
I would fathom a guess that your instincts are correct on this one, the mouth surgery... etc brings about a dislike of eating...

I would suggest just a few things like picking up a preschool nutirtion curriculum/workbook so you two can learn about food groups...that way you can talk about which food groups she is eating from, then I would look into soups adn have her try different kinds... treat it almost like a 14 month old where you are slowly adding to her diet. IF it is ht etexutre then go with experimenting with flavors.
So if you serve Tacos tonight... and she most likely will not eat them, blenderize the meat, (you can put it in a fun kid plate/bowl) try the cheese seperately.... etc...

Well, good luck.
C.

Hi J.,

Could be possibly not be sick but have allergies? My daughter had the same symptoms, w/o a fever though and she is now taking singular daily. It works great and the stuff went away. You might try getting her checked out.

K.

I think Kas may be on to something with the genetic stuff; it could be allergies, or it could be that she gets a lot of gastrointestinal upset with eating. I would totally have the FISH test done so you can rule that out (or deal with it head on!) but if she has had several surgeries for both cleft lip and cleft palate, she probably has plenty of good reasons for her behavior. You can't really compare her to your other kids as they haven't had the same health issues (cleft palate and lip), surgeries, etc. If she's not eating healthy diet, she will not get the nutrients needed to stay healthy, although she may have allergies. If she's only 4 and has had the cleft issues, she should be under the care of a few doctors. What do they say about it all? Ask them about this FISH test and get to the bottom of it.

Hi J.,
I think you've already gotten some *fantastic* suggestions from the other moms. I just want to also mention one possibility which *may* be playing into this.

Since you mentioned your daughter was born with a cleft palate: I just took a class on feeding issues, and they talked a lot about the sensation of food in the mouth being "noxious" to some babies and children. With her surgeries, she may have developed some real aversions to some of the sensation she was exposed to.

This can be helped, especially by a speech or occupational therapist. They could teach you all kinds of tricks to help your little one accept more foods (if that is part of what's going on).

Just a sugg. :)
T

Hi J. my name is S. i just to have the same problem but not any more i make it fun for them to it if u want to call me ###-###-#### or even if u leave close by come by i will be waiting for u r call and dont worry about u r kids a also have kids 9yr, 3, 2, 5 months baby all boys !!!!

The cleft lip and palate make me wonder if there is something more going on. About 5 years ago, I edited and published a book for an author (a local mom) about Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome, a genetic disorder. Two of the major anomalies of the missing 22q11 chromosome are palate problems and feeding difficulties. Frequent illnesses seem to accompany it too. I hope that there is nothing this serious going on with your daughter but there are 187 different things that can occur as a result of missing this one piece of genetic material. Ask your doctor and see if you can get a FISH test (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization). It's a simple blood test. They stain the blood sample and the genetic material will glow if it is present so you get an easy yes or no answer. If you get a yes--which I hope you do not--I have the book "Missing Genetic Pieces" available and, if necessary, could even put you in touch with the author whose son has this deletion. Meanwhile, I'm praying for you and your daughter.
K.

Hi J. H
I've been taking a whole food supplement for over a year called Juice Plus. It is not juice, but dehydrated fruits, veggies and grains put into capsules - or for young kids, it comes in gummies! I have a problem taking regular vitamins because they irritate my gut. These capsules don't so I am able to supplement fruits and veggies on the days I don't eat quite right. I'm a cancer survivor so I take routine blood tests and they have all been great while I've been on the Juice Plus. The company also has a program where a child's gummies are free with a participating adult - for 3 years. This might be just what your daughter needs. If you are in Tucson, there is a Wellness Presentation on 5/21 at 10am. It is being put on by a nutritionist. I will be going too so if you want more information, email me ____@____.com this helps. P. A. P.S. My 15 year old daughter (who always shyed away from veggies) has now been taking it for about 2 months and is starting to eat healthier! Your body starts to crave what you feed it and she is getting more fruits and veggies in the capsules - on the sly!!!

Have you had her tested for allergies?

I know that kids go through a stage between 3-5 where they don't eat much. Does she look emaciated? If not, praise the times when she does eat and don't put pressure on her. Kids won't starve themselves. Offer a variety of foods and include her in the choices. Put 2-3 things in front of her (peas, carrots, celery) and let her choose. When they have control in the process, sometimes this helps. As far as the running nose, maybe it is allergies and not colds. When our kids eat and don't like something, they have to try 3 bites and we DON'T make anything else. They say that sometimes it takes an introduction of a food 10 times (not in the same day, but over time)before a child will like it, so keep trying. There are also books out there where they have recipes that will hide healthy foods they don't like into other foods. Check your local book store.

Have you tried any alternative/complementary medicine practitioners? There are not always many around, but they might have some other ideas...and may be able to look for (test for) underlying conditions that other doctors may not be aware of. Nutrition/prevention is not stressed much in most medical schools. Bastyr Univeristy is an exception...I tend to look for graduates from there.
Fruit's nutritional content is over rated...yeah it's got some good stuff...with lots of sugar too. It's good that your daughter is not drawn to empty or almost empty calories. That might pull her health down more.
Because of your daughter's past surgery...do you think there might be any residual pain or discomfort...or weird sensations causing her to eat the way she does? It may be very subtle.

The cleft lip and palate may have something to do with her not wanting to eat still - even though she isn't currently having surgeries - her mouth may be sensitive from them - or maybe she just doesn't have the same ability to taste the way people without that issue can. The best thing you can do is give her balanced nutrition - but not in a pressed vitamin tablet - our bodies are not designed to absorb them so therefore they are literally like flushing your money down the toilet. The best thing you could give her to support her nutrition is an herbal formula called Illumination. It is completely natural (no chemicals) and safe - it supports the entire body nutritionally so even if she doesn't like to eat food that may be better than what she does like she will still be getting whole food nutrition. If you want more info you can contact me or visit my website: www.shootingstarherbs.amazonherb.net

We give my daughter Carnation instant breakfast (usually milk chocolate) and we blend it with vanilla ice cream and ice, she loves them and they have vitamins and stuff in them...I even drink them alot myself if I don't have time for breakfast.

Her system is out of balance. I would advice seeking advice of an holistic practitioner....I would try a naturopathic doctor or an herbalist or both. I would also have some energy work done with her: polarity, cranial sacral, Reiki wouid be good choices. ON the second Sunday of each month there is a Polarity/Cranial Clinic at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. students are working, the fee is only $15. That is a very nominal fee and you will be surprised at what a difference this could make. If you contact me, I can refer you to some great therapists as well.

Hi, I understand how you are feeling..... my oldest daughter would get sick a lot when she was a little younger. She would get stomach junk..... I knew that fruits & veggies are so important for a healthy immune system so when my sister introduced me to Juice Plus+ it made sense to me. Juice Plus+ is fruits & veggies that have been put into capsule form (or gummy/chewable form for kids). I knew we for sure weren't getting enough fruits & veggies & when I added Juice Plus+ to our diet I saw a huge change in our health! We are much more healthy (& I have lots more energy also!) If you are interested in more info. respond to me & I'll get you more info. I am also have some women over to my house to talk about nutrition & what I've learned the last few years since we started changing our diet. You would be more than welcome to come .... that's May 28th at 6:30. :) I know that fruits & veggies for sure is a huge key to a healthy immune system! Blessings! - C.

Hi,
my name is K. and I'm an occupational therapist who works with children and many of them are picky eaters. Your daughter may be a picky eater for a few reasons. Due to having a cleft lip and palate as well as the surgeries to repair this, both inside and outside of her mouth may be more sensitive to touch, texture and taste; or she could also be hyposensitive or not have good feeling, which can also affect her food choices. Also, due to the surgeries, she may be resistive toward anything invasive coming toward or in her mouth. Is she also resistive or sensitive toward brushing her teeth, washing her face, etc.? In addition, she may be experiencing difficulty with oral motor control, which is necessary for chewing, managing food in her mouth, and swallowing the food. Does your child have difficulty moving her mouth in order to articulate words correctly? When a child has feeding aversions, they are generally a result of either a sensory, oral motor, food allergies/ sensitivities,or learned behavior/ protective response. In order to more fully identify the reason for your daughter's picky eating habits, an evaluation by a speech language pathologist, who is familiar with feeding issues would be beneficial. Also, if the reason is more sensory related, an evaluation by an occupational therapist would be appropriate to assess her sensory skills.

Another recommendation that works well for several of my clients who are picky eaters is a whole food supplement called Juice Plus. It is made from 17 different organically grown fruits, vegetables and grains, that are juiced, dehydrated, have the sugar and salt removed and the powder is then made into a chewable or gummie for kids and put into a capsule for adults. It's a great way to get fruits and veggies on a daily basis and it's backed by medical research that indicates it balances/ improves the immune system, which is necessary to fight off illness. You're definitely on the right track by linking your child's poor diet to her frequent illness. If you're interested in getting more information about Juice Plus you can contact me at ###-###-#### or reply back to this e-mail.

Hope this information was helpful and if you have any questions regarding therapeutic strategies as well as supplements, don't hesitate to contact me.

Best of luck,
K. M. Sailer
Occupational Therapist

Hi J.,

I can certainly sympathize with your feeling of hopelessness. I don't need to tell you that it is often hard to get the needed nutrition into our little ones.

Unfortunately, getting nourishment from any food we eat these days is a challenge due to the soils being so over-farmed.
The necessary minerals are not in the soil any more, as a result they are not in the food we eat.

The best thing we can do is supplement.

There is a fairly new all-in-one liquid supplement that contains broad spectrum vitamins and minerals that kids and adults are having amazing results with.

The technology is brand new. It allows the nutrition to get to the cellular level in minutes.

It was formulated by an MD and is called Vibe.

We have been drinking it for 3 years now. My family rarely gets sick anymore just because our bodies are being fed the nutrition they need to stay healthy.

Vibe is not sold in stores. You can only get it through independent distributors. www.vibeforme.com/smartidea

Also, the opinion of my naturopath is that pediasure has too many artificial ingredients to be effective and often causes more harm than good.

Let me know if I can help in any way,

D.
###-###-####