Update on my ten year old going through crisis, need a little advice too!

[mommy777]

My ten year old is still going through the crisis where she doesn't want to eat solid foods, has OCD. Had been having severe panic attacks daily. Her mood was horrible, they were going to admit her.

Anyway, her mood is SO much better. She still hasn't eaten solid foods yet She is too scared. The only thing she is trusting to even put in her mouth is Pediasure. She is drinking 8 bottles of Pediasure a day.

She IS asking about food now, she is asking to smell it and feel of it. She is in intense therapy and is on meds (Paxil, Buspar, Vistaril)

I am wondering if you think 8 bottles of Pediasure a day is enough to keep her alive? Obviously it is or she wouldn't be living this long. Her therapist and psych. seems to think it is okay for right now, but I still worry. Each bottle contains 240 calories and 9 grams of fat. Please tell me she can live like this??

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by mommy777

My ten year old is still going through the crisis where she doesn't want to eat solid foods, has OCD. Had been having severe panic attacks daily. Her mood was horrible, they were going to admit her.

Anyway, her mood is SO much better. She still hasn't eaten solid foods yet She is too scared. The only thing she is trusting to even put in her mouth is Pediasure. She is drinking 8 bottles of Pediasure a day.

She IS asking about food now, she is asking to smell it and feel of it. She is in intense therapy and is on meds (Paxil, Buspar, Vistaril)

I am wondering if you think 8 bottles of Pediasure a day is enough to keep her alive? Obviously it is or she wouldn't be living this long. Her therapist and psych. seems to think it is okay for right now, but I still worry. Each bottle contains 240 calories and 9 grams of fat. Please tell me she can live like this??

From a math POV 240 calories X 8 bottles is 1960 calories which is plenty for a 10 year old (maybe even more than she needs).

Of course you want her on food, but 1960 is enough, calorie wise. I would worry if there were essentials nutrients she was missing. Have you spoken to a nutritionist?

[sbgrace]

I think she can live on that yes. I'm so sorry she is having this sort of struggle. Have you looked into cognitive behavioral therapy to go along with the meds? I think the combo is better for OCD in kids.

[Kailey's mom]

What about stronger, or more effective medications to address the anxiety. IMO, that is the most disabling. I have panic d/o btw. buspar did NOTHING at all. The pediasure is fine btw.. and in time (hers) she'll be eating. It will be okay ((hugs))

[mamarhu]

No specific advice, but YoungSon went for about 9 months (at age 8 or 9, if I remember right) on a self-induced clear liquid diet after a mild choking incident. Homemade broth, strained, clear juices, and sometimes milk, when he could strain it himself through cheesecloth. We went to all sorts of therapists and specialists, but time was the only thing that helped. Somehow, he survived nutritionally. Against all logic.

Then he went for several years eating mainly popcorn and homemade potato chips. No clue how or why, but he is now 13 YO, nearly 6' tall, and proportionately built. And yesterday in the supermarket, he said he wanted to start expanding his horizons, and chose some grapefruits and grapes. They are all GONE this morning!

I have taken enough nutrition classes to know that this is impossible, and yet here he is. Trust your child to get what she needs. If she will take pediasure, how about fruit smoothies? Milk shakes? I don't know. I was happy to get any calories at all into YoungSon, and followed that with Gummi vitamins. I tried to find minimally processed foods that he would try, but really I had to drop all my expectations of diet and nutrition.

[LynnS6]

I hope that they can get the meds and the therapy worked out so that she can have less fear about eating.

Have you seen this book? Just Take a Bite? Easy Effective Solutions to Food Aversions and Eating Challenges. I don't know if it'll help, she may need more help right now than this can give, but it might also give you some strategies.

[MotherWhimsey]

A lot of tube fed adults live on formulas like ensure. I'd try mixing different things like carnation instant breakfast, blended soups, anything you can get her to try. Maybe if she helps you blend stuff it will be enough to insure her that it's smooth enough to go down.