Thalassemia and Nutrition

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 2008, 03:13:39 PM »
Jade,

You just echoed my situation.

Manal,

I think all parents are alike and care the same for their children. This is a behavioral problem, majority of the children as I said before would eat one way or the other. However, some children would not response to anything, its hard to understand but it does happens.

Parents suffer so as the children.
Regards.

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Offline Sharmin

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #16 on: November 29, 2008, 06:26:08 PM »
There is no doubt that children have different eating habits and appetites.  It can be a real challenge for parents getting children to eat, and then getting them to eat the right things. 

When little A was 2 years old my husband had taken him to a BBQ - a friend of ours had brought his 2 year old daughter to the same event.  My husband said that at the function his friends daughter ate and ate - while our son sat there and watched her eat.  He had no inclination to eat himself.   

My sister in law has two boys - at meal time they begin to wave their hands because they cannot wait to eat, they will eat anything indiscrimintely and cry when the food is gone so you basically have to cut them off otherwise they would eat until they pop.  My kids look at them with amazement!  On the other hand, my little nephew spends much of his mealtime fishing food back out of his mouth that his mother has put in.  Getting him to eat is a struggle, and on top of that he is allergic to many types of food - so his mother is almost in tears when trying to feed him.

These are natural differences that parents are left to work with.  When there is an added challenge with a chronic disease such as thalassemia - and the effects of bad eating habits can have real consequences very quickly, the pressure to overcome these hurdles is great.  I think that we have gotten some great ideas in this thread. 

In addition, I have a few other suggestions, as these methods have helped me over the years to increase my son's apetite are:

I don't let him eat late, I notice that if he eats a lot before bed time he does not wake up with an apetite for breakfast.  I push them to eat an early breakfast - only a few spoons of every food group.  Yogurt & milk (as the milk increases the calcium absorption from the yogurt), berries (some fruit), protein (eggs, nuts, peanut butter), and a few bites of multigrain toast or cereal.  It sounds like a lot but they have very little of each thing.  I find that this increases their apetite for snack and lunch.  Snack can be cut up grapes, pears, apple etc.  And lunch can be half a sandwich or soup with a few bites of different types of fruits and veges.  Again a few hours later you can offer some fruit and a little cheese after the fruit with milk, and a few hours later dinner with some meat and vegetables. 
Each portion can be small, but this way they get regular nutrition throughout the day.  Just be sure not to give them milk or cheese after dinner because I find that this reduces their apetite for breakfast the next day.  Watermelon or strawberries may be a good after dinner snack - and it also gets the digestive tract moving.  If kids don't go to the bathroom regularily they won't have an apetite.  Water is also important for this reason.

Doing all of this has helped us with our picky eaters, I hope that you all find it useful too.  I am finding that exjade in the morning is making breakfast a little more difficult - but we have decided to give him exjade very early (5am) so that he takes it in his sleep and then sleeps off the ichy feeling before breakfast.

Best of luck getting the little ones to eat,

Sharmin   
« Last Edit: November 29, 2008, 08:43:10 PM by sharmin »
Sharmin

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Offline Manal

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #17 on: November 30, 2008, 02:02:43 AM »
Thanks Sharmin, that is really very helpful. I will try making my son eat small portions from different types. Sounds interesting, thanks :hugfriend

manal

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Offline jade

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #18 on: November 30, 2008, 06:13:17 AM »


Quote:
When little A was 2 years old my husband had taken him to a BBQ - a friend of ours had brought his 2 year old daughter to the same event.  My husband said that at the function his friends daughter ate and ate - while our son sat there and watched her eat.  He had no inclination to eat himself.   

My sister in law has two boys - at meal time they begin to wave their hands because they cannot wait to eat, they will eat anything indiscrimintely and cry when the food is gone so you basically have to cut them off otherwise they would eat until they pop.  My kids look at them with amazement


Sharmin

This is exactly my situation.  Whenever we go out she would not eat at all.  It' has been hell to take her somewhere and mostly when you were invited to have lunch or dinner somewhere, she would be at her worst when it comes to eating. But she has started to change a little bit now as she is growing.

Manal

it is truly painful when you find all other children eating but yours is not interested at all in food and her plate stays untouched.  She is very happy to give over her cakes and food to her friends. Sharing is good but i feel that my daughter shares to avoid eating.  Imagine she is not even interested in cakes.  Anyway as snacks I give her fruits which she has come to love over time.

I am now trying to grow wheatgrass.  i will let you know if i have been successfull at growing them. 

Take care
Jade

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Offline Manal

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #19 on: November 30, 2008, 07:23:16 AM »
It is very good that she is starting to like fruits, they are full of vitamins. Good luck with the wheat grass and please update us :hugfriend

manal

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Offline Sharmin

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #20 on: December 03, 2008, 04:00:51 AM »
I found this to be an interesting page about children and nutrition, I found it while ordering Osteocare:)

http://www.vitabiotics.com/wellkid/lunchbox.aspx

Good ideas for lunches - but we can't use the multivitamin the discuss (Wellkid) because it has iron.

Sharmin
Sharmin

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Offline Manal

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #21 on: December 03, 2008, 06:50:11 PM »
Thanks Sharmin, indeed it is very interesting and the nutrition guide is wriitten in a so easy way  for children to read, nothing is left but to start eating :rotfl

manal

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Offline Sharmin

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #22 on: December 09, 2008, 12:25:45 AM »
Hello Thalpals,

I am wondering how things are going for some of our fussy eaters.  Hopefully some of the interesting technique we have learned have helped.  I have been using all of your ideas with my kids - and they are working very well.  I would love to hear from you all as to what you have tried and what has worked. 

Sharmin
Sharmin

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Offline Madhavi

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Re: Thalassemia and Nutrition
« Reply #23 on: August 29, 2009, 05:15:53 AM »
What worked for my kids was a change of cuisine...and help from neighbours....
Initially Mo absolutely hated fruits and most of the vegetables....but he has begun developing a taste for them after trying them in my neighbours house! And what I tried giving him in Indian cuisine didnt appeal but he prefers the same and infact relishes them in Chinese style! I have a wonderful couple as my neighbour here...an old aunty and uncle whom my kids call grandparents...and they have helped me a lot with it...the kids like to eat in their house! I remember it was the same with many of my neighbours kids back home too...they loved to eat in our house!
The idea of small portions is great too...and smaller but frequent meals works for my daughter who takes just a couple of morsels at a time...of course she is just beginning to eat at 1yr 2 months!
I dont know about the colour thing, because my kids like to smell whatever new item is offered to them....and then taste a bit as if to cross check what Mamma is feeding them!
Unfortunately I have not been too careful about not exposing them to certain kinds of foods...I allow them to taste everything...dont know if it is good or bad in the long run...but they dont really favour the junk food because it is only available at absolutely rare occasions! Else it is always home cooked food!
But it would be nice to read more about everyones experiences...
Madhavi
Love and luck to all...

 

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