# Toddlers who don't eat much variety?



## rspence (Apr 26, 2010)

Since JP's diagnosis (what the abrievation for that word?) he has given up eating at nursery. Actually I am now suspicious as to how much he actually ate there before this but now we are going into nursery everyday to do his BM and insulin (only til they learn) I see how little he eats there.

Problem is he eats naff all at home too!

JP eats well the foods he eats: cheerios, bread and marmite, skips, oranges, grapes, and plain pasta and grated mild cheddar cheese! But thats about it. No meals, no veg, no other fruit, etc

His 4 yr old brother has some form of extreme food refusal (makes himself sick if offered anything 'new' and hasn't eaten a meal since he was 1yr) and he too survives on cereal and bread but at least he likes various cereals!

When you don't have to account for the food your child eats or refuses then you can relax and think well he's healthy and thriving, but now we keep food charts and the professonals get to see how limited his diet is I feel a bit trapped. I've started writing on JP's food charts what meals he rejects and individual foods I try to give him to no avail!!

I know food and toddlers isn't a new subject, but I wondered how other parents get on with the added complication of food, toddlers and diabetes?

thanks for reading,
Rachel


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## bev (Apr 26, 2010)

Hi Rachel,

It is so difficult with toddlers isnt it and then add into the mix diabetes - nightmare.

Alex wasnt diagnosed until he was 10 and that was 17 months ago - so i cant really advise on how to deal with a diabetic toddler, But, we did have some problems with him trying new foods - so we started 'taste test tuesdays' - he was allowed his normal food of choice - but he had to taste one of 3 items on a little saucer before he was allowed to eat his normal choice. I have to say it did work very well and he had a star chart for trying the foods - even if he spat them out.

Perhaps you could try this and just inject afterwards when you know he has actually swallowed the food.

It is a difficult one as being diabetic and being a toddler dont mix do they - but the worst thing you could do was to force him to eat anything - they just stamp their feet and refuse point blank.

Perhaps you could try this system with big brother too and go overboard when they put something new in their mouths - lots of clapping and little treats afterwards etc. It does take time but it is worth it in the end. Just remember to keep the portions of new food very small so it doesnt put them off. I used to just save a couple of items from my food and put it into the fridge until the next day so you dont have to waste lots of foods. Also, do let them 'play' with food or help you to prepare it - often its the texture of food they dont like - nothing to do with the taste - so feeling food and smelling it is a good idea.

I wouldnt worry what clinic think about his diet - they have seen it all before I am sure.Bev


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## jimmysmum (Apr 27, 2010)

Its difficult even with a toddler that does eat well, both my diabetic ones are really good eaters its my oldest whos the fuss pot (small mercies) i do find though that we have to play 'quick eat it or Elmo will eat it' about a gazillion times at the dinner table though bcoz shes soooooooooo slowww at eating her dinner (yawn).. i end up cramming most of it in her mouth with the spoon myself while i distract her and talk about toys etc..

D doesnt always want her fruit snack at pre-school so they have a box of those small freddo choccy snacks just in case she really does need to eat which she usually does at pre-school bcoz she gets really excited to be there, she loves fruit and eats it loads at home but says she doesnt want to eat from 'the girl' who gives it out at pre-school (hmm) but on monday she actually had 3 orange segments and 3 slices of apple so maybe things are on the up, maybe she likes this 'girl' now?! could you take something in that he will eat if he needs it, doesnt matter if its not the fruit provided as long as they get a snack when they need one.  xx


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## ruthelliot (Apr 27, 2010)

Hiya, I can relate a lot to what your saying. Our son was 18mths old when diagnosed a year and a half ago and I felt so under scrutiny regarding his diet - his food diary had the occ McDonalds disguised as chicken gougons and potatoes! Ben is actually a fantastic very healthy eater but I still hated the whole thing of someone judging his diet. As a child I also had extreme food refusal and until well into my teens lived on toast, chips, dry rice crispies and apples and milk. Having been taken to various doctors and dieticians the general feeling was that I was thriving and would grow out of it - they were correct. I was always very healthy and I'm now a healthy fit adult with a very varied diet. Karma stepped in and after years of worry I caused my mum, my eldest son developed similar issues. While I didn't have the added problem of diabetes I was nonetheless tearing my hair out. The one thing I realised was that the the more I pushed and the more I stressed the worse things got. I know how hard it is when diet is the focus of so much with diabetes but i think you need to try and hang on to the mindset you had before - your kids are healthy and growing well - you're doing fine. Even though Ben is a good eater there are days where his diet is far less than ideal but he has to eat so I do the best I can. I did get some fantastic advice from a book written by the woman on the tv programme The House of Tiny Tearaways - cant remember her name but it will come back to me. Our older son made def progress as we followed her advice. As for trying new things I still remember how awful that was for me as a child and I know with many children like me it is often textures rather than flavours that are the problem - one of the first new foods I ever tried was tomato soup - but only dipping toast in it - didn't like soggy bread - after about a year I actually ate some on the spoon! Sorry for waffling on - its a subject thats been part of my life much longer than diabetes so you really have my sympathy
Ruth


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## ruthelliot (Apr 27, 2010)

Tanya Byron was her name - great book!


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