My Son Is Sick

Updated on May 29, 2010
L.H. asks from Marion, OH
11 answers

my son doesn't weigh much. He is 6 yrs. old. I am very concerned. He won't eat or drink anything. He gets sick so easily. He is like skin and bones. Is there anything I can try?

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B.M.

answers from Eugene on

Have you talked to his dr? Do they also worry about his weight? Do he has sensory issues with food? Did you know they actually have food therapists? I did not know this until a few years ago! They can be very helpful. I might be hard, but whatever he will eat, let him. My daughter has autism and will only eat crackers and a few other things. It is sooooooooooooo hard to give into this unhealthy eating, but sometimes I find letting her eat what so really wants to gets her to eat more of some better things... Good luck!

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

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H.F.

answers from Dallas on

I agree with Dawn's advice. Smooties are a great idea. One suggestion that I have is to use peanut butter (if no allergy exists) instead of protein powder. It is less expensive. I use pb when I make smoothies for our children. They love it. I use frozen fruit, yogurt or kefir, and pb. Our Walmart also has milled flaxseed (by Wild Roots) that you can add to foods for omega 3 oils. I also put it in my children's hot cereals.

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S.E.

answers from Cleveland on

Have you ever checked into reflux. My son who is 3 had it bad as an infant. I thought he was totally over it and was eating great and was happy, but then stopped eating (1/2 bowl of cereal per day). Lost weight. Put him on Zantac and gained 1 pound in 4 weeks. I know your son is older than this, but might be worth looking into.

I.M.

answers from New York on

Dear L.,
If you have health insurance take him back to the pediatrician and ask him to test him, that you want all kind of tests and need to find out if there is a problem. If you don't have insurance, find out with your state and what the policies are in the hospitals there. You might be able to still take him into the clinic at the hospital and have him checked. Don't wait any longer, this is your child's health you are talking about! Go and get him some help or at least some tests to find out that he is okay.
Maybe that is just the way he is, but maybe not. Maybe he needs some medications or a different diet to get him better.
So please, call or check in the internet and find out what help you can get from your state if you don't have health insurance!
Blessings

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M.H.

answers from Atlanta on

Hi L.,

A diet high in fiber and a probiotic will help. Probiotics/prebiotics will get the digestive system working so that ALL the other parts of the body get their nutrition and can function the way God intended. Start him on the probiotic and I bet his appetite will pick up. Good nutrition breeds good eating habits. I also know a great absorbable kid's chewable vitamin/mineral complex that can jumpstart the nutrition. It's the only one on the market guaranteed to absorb.

God bless!

M.

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

I'm sorry your little guy is so sick.
I would really be concerned about him not wanting to drink anything.
Is he nauseous? Have you tried ginger ale? My son swears by it when he doesn't feel well.
Smoothies are a good idea too. When my kids had sore throats, they liked drinking warm jello. It's nice and thick and felt soothing. See if you can at least get some herbal tea down him so he won't get dehydrated. Maybe even some Gatorade or good frozen juice bars.
I was a very scrawny kid so being really thin may or may not be indicitave of anything, but I think you should have him seen just to be on the safe side.

I sure hope that he'll be feeling better soon.

Best wishes.

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K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

My daughter loves Boost. It is a drink that you buy in the pharmacy area of Target or Walmart. It has tons of vitamins and she drinks one for breakfast every day. She said it keeps her full until lunchtime. Chocolate is her favorite flavor, she said the others taste funny.

Serve it really cold and pop a straw in the bottle. Hopefully, this will help.

I do agree with the other posts about seeing your pediatrician. It's time.

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A.M.

answers from Seattle on

I would take him to see a Naturpathic Doctor who specializes in kids and nutrition. I would also recommend seeing if more raw food would help solve this issue.

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K.N.

answers from Cleveland on

Well most everyone thinks I'm crazy, but I do daycare, and have 3 kids, all involved in activities ect, so we have lots and lots of germs to deal with. My kids see my chiropractor monthly, seriously we started this a year ago, and other than a random fever, that each child had for 48 hours a month or so back, neither has had so much as a sniffle. This is the first year that we have managed to miss all the bugs that go around, and I seriously swear it's because of the chiropractic care they receive, and my youngest is only 7.

L.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

Depending on how long this has been taking place, and how much weight he has lost, you should look into an eating disorder specialist.
Alot of people think that eating disorders are just anorexia and bulemia, not true. There are several reasons your son might not be eating, including dental problems, gall bladder problems, stomach problems, etc.
There are many disorders that make children want to eat inedible things too, have you noticed him eating tissue paper or chewing on cardboard or anything like that?
There are so many possibilities with this, you should talk to someone immediatly. Do not wait until his little body starts shutting down, ACT NOW.

Good luck, my thoughts and prayers are with you, it is scary when your little ones get ill, but the best thing we can do for them is to be a private detective and do not stop at anything less than satisfaction with the problems.

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