Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Mommy Advice

Rosie sharing her "swimming pool" with Tasha

Hi Moms!
I need some advice.  I've scoured the internet and taken Rosie to the doctor several times and still would love some advice.  Since coming to live with me 2 months ago Rosie's appetite has been voracious.  She won't stop eating unless I stop giving her food and then she still thinks she's hungry.  She asks for food all of the time.  She's been treated for a parasite and her bowels are finally under control, but I still worry about her appetite.  I've cut back her food quite a bit but she still eats a lot more than most websites say she should.  Her weight is normal but she has a huge belly, especially by the end of the day.  Everything I can find says that you shouldn't limit a child under 2's food intake or it can cause problems late in life.  Rather I should let her eat as much as she wants, only at meal times.  If I did that she would NEVER stop eating.  
She's a happy healthy kid, but I don't want her to turn into a happy, obese kid.   I also don't want her to be hungry and she often cries and begs me for food.  Flavored water and pedialite have helped.  She drinks over 2 liters of liquid a day, especially when she thinks she's hungry.
Any advise on foods or maybe vitamins (she takes a multivitamin) that could help regulate her appetite would be appreciated.  I'd also love someone to tell me that their kid ate all the time too.  It seems most people have the opposite problem.
Love you guys! 
Thanks!


4 comments:

Unknown said...

The first two thoughts when I read this were
1. Tapeworm. If you've had her checked already, it might still be a good idea to have her re-checked
2. Prader Willi Syndrome- a rare genetic disorder and it's TOTALLY unlikely that she has it... she's probably just a hungry hungry girl. I've seen kids half Lily's age eat twice as much as her (she's a light eater) but it just goes to show that different kids need different nutrition. But here's a website with a checklist of symptoms for Prader Willi

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/prader-willi-syndrome/DS00922/DSECTION=symptoms

Donna P. said...

Have to say, my first thought was tapeworm as well. Maybe another parasite. I would have her tested specifically for a tapeworm if you haven't already. If everything comes back normal then I would give her a good month of eating good for her food and see if she is still wanting food all the time. It could be a conditioned response seeing as how she wasn't fed regularly. Once she knows she will get food on a regular basis she may slow down. Good luck!

Lauren said...

I sent you a facebook message on this :)

Christine Horn said...

Rosie,

My older daughter Casey was very similar in her eating habits as Rosie. Both my girls were born in China and my adoption agency was great in advising on the various issues that could arise - and eating was one of them. Casey was in an orphanage that had less than a 50% survival rate. The orphanage director did as much as she could for the children, but wasn't given much by the government. Casey didn't know what full felt like - that is likely what Rosie is experiencing too. Friends would visit just to watch all the food & formula(Carnation FollowUp,very warm with Gerber baby cereal - thick & warm like the babies in China like it) a 16-month old would devour. I was fortunate to be able to gently say to her "breakfast is done". She really chunked out for a while & I was told she would have a weight problem (Not!)When Casey turned 2, I started mentioning at the table "when my tummy feels full - like it has enough inside, I stop eating, so when your tummy feels full, it's time to stop eating." It worked well..but bottom line, you are teaching Rosie that she doesn't need to worry about when she will have her next meal. Once Casey realized food was provided on a regular basis, her eating leveled off. She is a healthy, happy 13-year old now!