Expert: Dr Kondekar Santosh Venketraman Pediatrician MD, Mumbai India, Online Pediatrician - 7/10/2009

Question
Hi,
I have an almost 11 months old baby who was always a small eater and has recently started refusing all solids! I had introduced solids to him at around 5 months and he always went through phases in which he was either not eating solids much or not drinking enough formula and his weight gain has always been slow. The doctor had prescribed iron supplement for him and cyproheptadine (Cypon drops) but nothing seems to work! His appetite will improve for 3/4 days while taking Cypon but then it just goes back to the same. Now he refuses solids altogether (I have tried a huge variety of food including jarred baby foods, cereals, table foods, etc.) and only wants formula. When offered food he will store the food in his mouth for about 15/20 minutes and then sometimes he swallows and sometimes he spits it out. I have been supplementing his food with formula because that is the only thing he will take but now my paed is advising me against it and is asking me to make him skip meals as he will eventually eat when he gets hungry enough. But even this is not working and I have a very cranky baby and I am afraid that he is starving himself. Can you please help?

Answer
you may read my past similar answers at www.infantfeeding.blogspot.com

you need to reintroduce solids in phased manner.
get him checked once for adenoids.
start feeding formula with a spoon than a bottle. you have to enrich the feed that is accepted.

then introduce milk free formulas. use a small spoon. feed more frequently.

augment milk free formulas with fruit juices, and mashed feeds.

mashed feeds.. introduce initially as liquids and then as thicker solids. use small spoon.. feed small amshed grains. if teh babys tongue feel change in consistency, he may spit. so make feeds of uniform consistency in beginning. encourage him to hold carrots , bananas in hand. he will start mouthing.


well, write back if any further query.