What worked for helping your underweight DC eat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What steps have you taken in those 3 years to teach him independence so the medication is no longer necessary?

What progress has he made in those areas?

Stop. You are displaying your ignorance. ADHD meds help with brain chemistry. Would you tell a diabetic that they should learn some skills so they can become independent from their insulin?

[Anonymous]

My DC didn’t start meds until HS, so he was able to be very articulate about how the meds made him feel - more than just not hungry but really unable to eat - trying to eat felt gross and like he was stuffing himself. It really made me back of and stop trying to ask him yo eat all the time (YMMV of course), and also not to explain when he had a box of crackers in his room or an 11:30 pm meal.

Another thing that helped his appetite was exercise.

[Anonymous]

I have not read all the responses, do I don’t know if this was already mentioned. When my teenager was that age, he drank pediasure. He also ate around his medication times. So he would have a big breakfast before his med in the morning. When I picked him up from school, he would have a snack. Dinner at the regular time, followed by another snack before bed, which was the equivalent of a second dinner. We managed to make it so he didn’t lose any weight and gained very slowly. However, when he reached puberty, even on meds, he started gaining weight like gangbusters.

[Anonymous]

Big breakfast, summer/weekend med holiday, late night snacks, small portions of calorie-dense drinks are things I have seen work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What steps have you taken in those 3 years to teach him independence so the medication is no longer necessary?

What progress has he made in those areas?

NP. What are you talking about? She is not providing medicine for independence. Get lost.

Do you or a family member wear glasses or contacts? What have your learned in 3 years so that you don't need corrective lenses? Are you making progress?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC didn’t start meds until HS, so he was able to be very articulate about how the meds made him feel - more than just not hungry but really unable to eat - trying to eat felt gross and like he was stuffing himself. It really made me back of and stop trying to ask him yo eat all the time (YMMV of course), and also not to explain when he had a box of crackers in his room or an 11:30 pm meal.

Another thing that helped his appetite was exercise.

I am a pp and agree with all. DS ramped up exercise (parkour at the playground, going on 1-2 hour walks after school or early evening, sometimes running) and this really helped spark appetite. And lol, boxes of crackers under the bed (or breakfast bars, we use those a lot for DC to snack since they're packed with all kinds of things and typically taste good) We finally just ok'd going downstairs himself around 10 pm to reheat leftovers, eat cereal, etc. as a second dinner. Our ped. would say let go of 3-quare meals a day + snack and instead encourage and permit eating when DS wants. Look back at the entire week re nutrition and volume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, cyproheptadine is a very helpful appetite stimulant.

This helped our DC as well. In late ES he was down to 3% BMI, now in 7th grade is comfortably in the 50's% BMI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What steps have you taken in those 3 years to teach him independence so the medication is no longer necessary?

What progress has he made in those areas?

F off.

DC also has dyslexia. They need the meds so they can learn to read. Sometimes there are no easy answers.

DP. The benefits of ADHD stimulant medication lasts for about 3 years and then it's over. If weight gain is an issue, then tapering the stimulant meds may help.

[Anonymous]

Ours was big breakfast and taking a Chocolate Orgain with the noon pill at the nurses office. Nurse made sure they finished. Kid never ate anything at lunch otherwise…..

[Anonymous]

NP here and appreciate the previous replies. Slightly different take on the question, but would appreciate any insight: in the last several months, our DC, 13 with ASD and ADHD, has experienced a lot of trouble in identifying what they want to eat, which seems to start a cycle of anxiety and overload and can lead to a meltdown. No stimulants, only SSRI which they’ve been on since age 6. Slender, has always been a picky eater, but even making a choice among accepted foods is now difficult. DC is a late bloomer and just beginning puberty so I’ve assumed these new processing challenges intertwined with recognizing appetite/desire to eat/choosing what to eat is all related, but I can’t seem to find any information from googling - so appreciate any insights or BTDT stories. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, cyproheptadine is a very helpful appetite stimulant.

THIS and a shorter acting stimulant.

Offer food every three hours and if they simply won't eat then offer the high calorie Ensure.

This is from the Maudsley eating disorder method about gaining back weight through a parent-directed plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and appreciate the previous replies. Slightly different take on the question, but would appreciate any insight: in the last several months, our DC, 13 with ASD and ADHD, has experienced a lot of trouble in identifying what they want to eat, which seems to start a cycle of anxiety and overload and can lead to a meltdown. No stimulants, only SSRI which they’ve been on since age 6. Slender, has always been a picky eater, but even making a choice among accepted foods is now difficult. DC is a late bloomer and just beginning puberty so I’ve assumed these new processing challenges intertwined with recognizing appetite/desire to eat/choosing what to eat is all related, but I can’t seem to find any information from googling - so appreciate any insights or BTDT stories. Thanks.

I have not dealt with this specific problem but I find that with my kids with a similar profile it’s often helpful to discuss things in advance when the pressure is off. So it might be easier for some kids to decide what they want to eat on Monday by talking it over on Saturday (essentially meal planning) the way that it’s sometimes less stressful to lay your clothes out the night before. Another idea is to have a chart — pick one item from this category, one from that category, one from the other category. Maybe even with visual pictures. So it’s a defined set of options and a check box, rather than a seemingly open ended question of what to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have tried boost and other shakes - DC won’t drink them. I make nightly homemade milkshakes with about 500 calories. This allows DC to maintain their weight. I have to coax them every night to drink it.

DC won’t overeat, no matter what it is. Doesn’t like most high calorie foods - won’t eat French fries, hamburgers, potato chips, cookies, etc. DC does eat cake, ice cream, pizza, Mac and Cheese, chocolate, but will only eat a normal serving - I have tried all kinds of junk food and candy. DC only eats a normal amount of food, even if they skipped their last meal.

Thanks for PPs who said it got better as a teen - only a few years away, so maybe then hunger cues will kick in.

DC wouldn’t touch the boost types of things but regularly made smoothies with heavy cream and extra sugar as an ingredient. Plus if also having more fruit too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have tried boost and other shakes - DC won’t drink them. I make nightly homemade milkshakes with about 500 calories. This allows DC to maintain their weight. I have to coax them every night to drink it.

DC won’t overeat, no matter what it is. Doesn’t like most high calorie foods - won’t eat French fries, hamburgers, potato chips, cookies, etc. DC does eat cake, ice cream, pizza, Mac and Cheese, chocolate, but will only eat a normal serving - I have tried all kinds of junk food and candy. DC only eats a normal amount of food, even if they skipped their last meal.

Thanks for PPs who said it got better as a teen - only a few years away, so maybe then hunger cues will kick in.

DC wouldn’t touch the boost types of things but regularly made smoothies with heavy cream and extra sugar as an ingredient. Plus if also having more fruit too.

Oops meant to add also added heavy cream into things like scrambled eggs and pasta sauce and everything. It’s a thing a bunch of nutritionists suggest for when trying to get people with anorexia to their safe weights. (And adding oil to things)