Is This Normal...? - Overland Park,KS

B.,

This sounds just like my son. He is also tall and skinny, and he eats more than any child I have ever met. Because we don't feed him junk either, and he does stop when he's full and/or bored with eating, I just give him what he wants. Kids do self-regulate, although it may be hard to see it sometimes!
My son recently stayed with his grandparents, and they were completely taken aback with how much he eats, too. But he is healthy, happy, and must have just inherited my metabolism. Go with it.

Good luck!
K.

Does she not like meat? Maybe if you put a like meat for protien in with it it would stay with her longer. Pasta and dairy seem to not last long with my kids

That doesn't seem excessive to me. I have a boy who was 2 in April and he's pretty close to eating that much. I wouldn't worry. She may just have a really fast metabolism.

Sounds perfectly normal to me! I heard once that because there stomach is so small they only need small portions and that they can get overwhelmed and not want to eat because there is too much on their plate. I laughed out loud. While this might be true for some kids, it is definately NOT true for mine. I fix a box of macaroni for lunch and between my 2 girls, I get enough for a side dish if I am lucky. The other day my 3 year old ate 3/4 of one of those Totino's pizzas all by herself. My 18 month old will generally eat 1/2 of one. Sometimes I really do feel like they are eating me out of house and home! To me this just means that they are growing and healthy. If your daughter is on the small side, then she probably just has a really good metabolism and really does needs all those calories. Let her eat as much as she wants at meal times and keep her on a schedule which it sounds like you are doing. Also make sure she is drinking lots of fluids with all that food. Sometimes when we think we are hungry, we are really just thirsty but little ones don't have that problem as much as adults do. They still know how to listen to their body.

My daughter loves to eat she is 18 months old and likes everything as of right now,she askes for more and she'll say done but at times I have to say no more food full belly,she can out eat her brother if I let her and he is almost 5 yrs old.She isn't heavy she is 24 lbs.I give my kids lots of fresh fruit before or after meals and snacks they love it We need to work on more veggies.

Not to worry you *** but my doctor always told me he wasn't concerned about my daughters percentiles because they were proportionate. She has always been between 5-15% for her weight and height. When asked if this is potentially something to worry about, he said "no, because again, her weight is proportionate to her height. If they were at different ends of the spectrum, then I would run some tests."
**Again, not to worry you, but that is what I was told.
Good luck and God be with you both.

Hi B.,

Just a thought, but it looks like a lot of carb foods which may not be sticking with her very long.
I am not a dietician, but am a nurse who has done a lot reading and research on health and nutrition. And speaking from personal experience for myself, when I try to cut down on my meat/protien sources and lean more to a plant based diet, I am ravishing within a very short time of eating.
With the exception of the eggs at breakfast it doesn't look like she's getting a lot of protein.
Why not try a piece of organic/free range chicken chopped up in her spaghetti?
I mean no offense if you are vegetarian, like I said, I have really tried to get there, but even my doctor has said, that there are certain people that need that little bit of protien with each meal.

By the way, I LOVE you're girl's names!! I have an Ellen myself that we usually shorten to Elle, but I love the Emerson and Elliott too!

I would be happy to talk to you more and help you figure it out.

In Good Health,

Lori Krause, RN
____@____.com

wow, you had a lot of great responses. I was going to suggest some of the same things. The protein issue might help. Carbs are fast burn and leave you empty, our little ones burn energy so fast the carbs maynot be filling her up long enough. The diabetes thing and the gluten things are possabilities. However, she has eaten like this from the beginning. You do have yougurt, oatmeal, macaroni, spaghetii, breadstick, crackers, manacotti, garlic bread... that is a lot of carbs. Little ones need carbs, fruit based carbs take longer to break down. So do dairy products, watch out for those because they can cause digestion problems.
My now 3 year old and 6 year old have been eating like this since they were old enough for solids. She is 2, try lunch meats that are not processed, like whole turkey in the deli section (not sliced stuff that looks thin and slimmy), make extra chicken breasts and chunk them up and put some in the freezer. If they are already cooked you can just defrost in the micro or re-warm. Same with ham steaks (my kids almost eat a family ham steak by themselves). We did cut out as much bread as possable. Chips and breads (past too) have to be at the end of the meal if they eat the protien and veges. Casseroles with everything combined are diff. WE all love a good casserole. If you do a heavy carb/gluten lunch do heavy protein snack and dinner. Looks like she loves eggs, try them for dinner- see if she lasts longer in the evening with them. Good luck. Our boys are tall and lean and close to the same portions as I do. They are 3 and 6. the 3 year old eats dinner and gets up and asks for a snack, the plate in his hand! Just say no and wait an hour. It takes 20-40 min. for your stomach to get a message. Don't accnowlege her breakdown... Say "not now, ask later" and walk away! it's tuff but in a week she will know the rules. Good luck.

Brittany --

I too have a little girl who absolutely loves to eat -- almost to the point it was driving my husband and I crazy with having to fix her something to eat all of the time. I then made a list of everything she had to eat like you did and I noticed a lack of protein. Since then, I have added more protein to her diet and she seems a lot more satisfied. She really enjoys peanut butter, beans, yogurt and fish. I also found that giving her more structure in her play has helped a lot. I know I have a tendancy to eat when I am bored, so I thought this might be the case with her as well. Overall, she has not demanded as much food since I added more protein to her diet and given her more planned activities to do. Like the other mom mentioned you may also want to try adding in an afternoon snack. I know my little one still requires a small snack around 3:30. Hope this helps!
A.

She may have a gluten intolerance. Common signs are an insatiable appetite and light colored, loose stools. There are blood tests your doctor can do. The bad part is that if she does have celiac disease, she can't eat ANY gluten, or her intestines are being damaged. Definitely worth looking into because undetected, it can lead to malnutrition.

It would be worthwhile to discuss this with her doctor. The first thing that came to my mind when I read your post was possible diabetes. The 3 main symptoms of Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes are excessive urination, excessive thirst and excessive hunger. Weight loss despite normal or increased appetite is a common occurrence in people with uncontrolled Type 1 diabetes. I would speak to her doctor about this.

It doesn't seem like too much food to me. It all sounds so yummy! Did you ask your pediatrician about it?

It sounds like you are doing a very good job of making sure she gets well-balanced meals and not a lot of sweets/junk food. I don't think you have a lot to worry about. My daughter was the same way. She still is. She didn't make it into the double digits for heights and weight until she was 3 and made it into the 15th percentile. She has boundless energy and I'm sure she burns what she eats. Whenever she goes to someone's house for the first time, the comment I usually get is "she sure is a great eater". She is 9 1/2 now and can, at times, eat more than some adults. She does not like a lot of sweets and her idea of a treat is a red pepper or cucumber, and loves water. Your daughter is fine. Sit back and enjoy her. It's way to early to stress out. Whatever you do, don't compare her to other kids her age or let anyone make you feel bad for how much she eats. She may be the kid that breaks every norm and that's okay.

Your Emme sounds like my Audrey who is now 6 and can and will eat as much as me, or more. She has eaten like that since day one. We've never had a food problem with her. It tickles our doctor to death that she eats like she does. She eats a wide varity of foods and is willing to try anything.

My 6 year old would eat 2 hambergers when we grill them if I let her (I cut her off at 1 1/2). Last nights dinner was 1/2 pork steak, zucinni, baked beans, strawberries, blueberries and a cookie. I wouldn't worry about it if her weight is fine. Looks like she's eating healthy stuff and if she's active she must need the extra food.

Now that my Audrey is a little older we talk about whats good to eat and not so good. We talk about how if it's something your body doesn't need (like cookies and cheesy puffs) we only eat a little but if it's something that your body does need and likes (grapes, carrots, chicken) then you can eat more and you feel good. We never talk about weight only that you need to eat the things your body likes to be healthy and feel good. And she has learned that she'd rather have a bowl full of fruit verses 1 or 2 cookies.

Just keep her eating the good stuff and everything will be fine. Be thankful you have a good eater. My younger daughter is picky and hardly eats anything. She'd live off of cheesey puffs if we let her. She tries to tell me that her body likes cheesy puffs and they make her feel good. Good luck!!

Your daughter probably has a high metabolism. My daughter was a big baby at birth, and she loved food too! I always had a high metabolism. I could eat and eat and eat and never gain weight. Well, my daughter was a chunky kid til she was about 3 due to getting exercise and running and walking. She slimmed down. Now she's a slim 6-1/2 yr. old and in the 90% for height. I am comparing my daughter and I because we both have high metabolisms. I have recently put on some weight, but I needed it because I've been underweight my whole life. My daughter has kinda stopped gaining weight, and she has stayed at a steady weight and height for this school year, which is the first time for her. The doctors aren't concerned because she's very healthy and very active. With a high metabolism, you can eat and eat and eat and never gain weight because your body burns energy twice as fast as a person with a regular metabolism. Metabolism, if you don't know, is the rate at which your body burns the calories and carbs you take in. So, with all this said, if your daughter is active, then it may be that she has a high metabolism; however, there is also a condition (I can't remember what it is called), where a person can eat and eat and the body never retains any of the nutrition. If this really bothers you and you are really concerned, then you really should consult your daughter's pediatrician about this.

Wow that seems like alot for a 2 year old. I would get a dietician to speak to and see how to cut back and size portions. If you do it now whe can develope good eating habits without becoming an obese teen.

Hi B.,

I have an almost 2 year old as well. She used to be a fantastic eater! When she started on baby food she too ate a ton of it. When it came to table food she ate even more and like your daughter she always wanted more. But my daughter has consistantly dropped in weight catagories. She started off in the 30th at birth and now is in less than the 3rd and she is in the 7th for height. We had to have all these crazy tests done on her at Children's Mercy and turns out she is just fine. The doctors aren't even the ones who gave me the best advice, it was my personal trainer. She explained to me that like us, when we want to loose weight we should eat five small meals a day. This keeps your metabolism going and burning food. So if our kids are eating that way, their metabolism is constantly running. I know your daughters meals are larger than "small" ones but you have to keep in mind she is busy and growing. They only eat when they are hungry, not like us who keep eating and eating even if we are full because it tastes good. I think I would be more worried if she were eating a lot of food, never getting full, and were over weight. Since she is not I wouldn't worry about it. Like your friends said, she may slow down or get to the place my daughter is where now she barely eats at all. I actually find that more frustrating and scary. Take care and I hope you find your answers.

I am very impressed with the types of foods your daughter is eating and if anything I'd say that I know a lot of kids that would eat much more and more often. I would definitely exchange a few of the high carb snacks with some high protien snacks to see if it helps her to feel better and I'd add a snack between lunch and dinner and after dinner.

Great job mom :)

Suzi

wow there is a lot of carbs in that diet and probably needs more proteins and veggies. Carbs are good for little ones but they seem to burn them off quick and get hungry faster. You may want to add some meat to the diet and if she doesn't eat meat much, then peas, beans, peanut butter have protein and more filling. If you are worried about the meat not being small enough for her to eat, there is a great chopper at Wal-mart or the pampered chef one that does a great job chopping up meat into little bits for little ones to eat and not choke on it. I used the chopper all the time and started feeding them the finely chopped up meats at around 10-12 months. They wouldn't eat any of the babyfood meats so chopped it up and they ate all kinds and chicken seemed to be their favorite.

my kids also loved the frozen veggies steamed in the microwave. They still won't eat canned veggies as they don't like them soaked in that liquid and all soggy tasting plus the canned ones have a ton of sodium in them where the frozen ones don't have that stuff added and prefer the fresher taste.

To me, it seems like she's eating a lot of carbs (with all the bread and crackers), which can turn in to sugar and cause her to crave more food (this coming from a family experience). Maybe try giving her some fruit and oatmeal for breakfast...there are so many different varieties that kids like with the different fruits in them, and it should fill her up too. I don't know if she'll eat chicken, but my son always liked a cooked chicken breast with veggies in cheese sauce for dinner. Raw carrot sticks are always a good snack choice also, and they tend to fill you up quickly as well. I would also lower her egg intake (high in cholesterol) to a few per week. Just a suggestion! Good luck to you and your little ones!

well, it seems like she's eating a lot of carbs and "poop" foods...peaches, pears and prunes for poop according to our pediatricians. carbs are digested really quickly, as are starchy foods and BRAT diet foods (like applesauce). maybe try some meat if you aren't vegan. that is kind of a lot of food but it is all quickly digestible. but is she drinking a lot or peeing a lot? if so, have her blood sugar checked for diabetes. good luck!

I say yes! Absolutely! I used to eat like that clear until I was like 16 or so. If you're really worried, go have her checked out by her pediatrician. Although, you might want to think that through since you'll probably have to scoop poop out of her diapers for fecal tests. Ewww! Been there, done that.... one of the worst mornings ever! LOL! Anyway, I was always really tall and skinny, at one point I weighed so little I think I was like in the frist percnetile. As long as she's growing physically and mentally I really think you have nothing to worry about. Good luck!

Have her doctor check her thyroid.

Hi B. -

It's so tough to make sure our little ones get enough (and the right stuff) to eat. I totally relate. My little one is the same way. He's 18 months old and eats like a horse! I noticed that you said she doesn't eat meat. Try some beans or peanut butter. We have not started Gabe on peanut butter yet b/c of his dad's allergies, but he LOVES beans.

I cook all different kinds in my crock pot (they are cheap and yummy with a little beef bouillon and spices). To take away the gas that comes with them, cook them with a whole carrot in the pot as well. The carrot will absorb all the gas and you can have beans without the problems! MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT EAT THE CARROT! Throw it out. That has seemed to help us. She needs protein probably. Hope that helps!

K.

I think it sounds like she is eating very well. My daughter is about two and a half and well below the 10th percentile, but she eats all day long. Part of it is just genetics, part of it is that healthy foods tend to have fewer calories so they eat more, and part of it is that she never sits still, not even when she's eating. I think you have to look at the whole picture to decide whether your daughter is healthy. It may be that she's on a growth spurt, but it's also possible that she's just a very active girl with an appetite to match. Unless her doctor is concerned, I wouldn't worry. I agree with the idea that you always feed a hungry child, regardless of when they last ate, as long as you are feeding them something healthy.

I don't think it sounds outrageous at all - at least not the amount of food. I'm sure she's going through a big growth spurt. My kids, especially daughters - even my teeny tiny one goes through periods of being a bottomless pit (she's 14 now and the size of a 9-year-old).

You say she never refuses food, which make me wonder if she keeps taking it as long as it's offered. If there is more food before her, she just may be acting on what she sees. At meal or snack time, I would give her what you think she would want, and perhaps a serving of seconds on standby in case she wants more. And put everything else away. That way, she won't see that there is more and maybe won't want more.

It looks like you are doing a great job with nutrition and having scheduled meals and snacks. Is she begging for food between meals and snacks, or is she just scarfing down food when it's time to eat? If she's eating at regular times, I think you have absolutely nothing to worry about. If she's begging for food all day long, it's possible that she's bored and looking to eat as a way entertaining herself. Or, she's trying to get more of your attention since you have a new baby.

In general, you don't have to worry about a two-year-old over eating. They are so active and growing so fast, they need a lot of food. She's small and you are providing healthy foods so there's not a danger of her becoming fat. Although, as I look at what she's been eating, it seems to be a really low fat diet for a toddler. Fat is essential, and maybe she's not getting enough of it to feel satisfied.

I'm not a nutritionist - just a mom with lots of kids!

B., trust Emme's instincts. If she is hungry, let her eat something healthy even if she grazes constantly throughout the day. She may be going through a growth spurt or her body may be demanding the calories to "fill her out" a little. As long as it is healthy food and she is not overweight, I would not worry. She will only eat if she is hungry. Also, this pattern may fade in a few weeks or months and she may want little to nothing to eat. As long as she is healthy and active, try not to worry. Easier said than done though! Hang in there! Kati

I see what she's eating, but what about drinking? Alot of times when people think they are hungry they are actually thirsty. When she wants another snack compromise and ask her to drink a cup of milk, juice or water first (but she has to drink it all). She most likely won't be hungry, but if she is then give her a small snack.

My son now age 20 has been like that his whole life. He gets up from the table and within a few min he's looking for food again. He is tall and thin ,at least in the last year he has finally put on some weight, but he is still slim. I think your daughter will probably be able to eat large amounts of food without gaining much weight. I was like that myself until about the age of 40. As long as she is growing and seems healthy I wouldn't worry about it.

I think you are quite wise to be concerned and want to investigate a little further. We are dealing with our youngest son, now age 12 1/2 yo, whom we adopted at age 3 1/2. He was the size of an 18 month old and had not grown in height or weight for 18 months by then. He, also had been reported to always have a HUGE appetite and very little growth. We have found him to have malabsorption issues - he is not getting hardly any nutrients at this point. Our wonderful allergist discovered this fact and we are working on digestive enzymes, etc to help alleviate the problem. He also has many food allergies that were keeping his stomach lining irritated and unable to absorb - no rashes or outside symptoms though. But the blood tests showed up the allergies just fine! He has already gained 6 lbs in 6 months - a biggie for us!! He still is ALWAYS hungry and that behavior pattern may take a long time to correct. If she were my little one, I would definitely look into this issue more closely. Two years is a long time for a "growth spurt" which is not spurting!! Blessings on you and your young family - M. in Anderson

So she's always been on the thin side. Well, add active 2 year old to that and she is probably using up most of her calories to run around and needs more to grow on. What is her doctor saying? Are both you and your husband tall and thin? If so, maybe it's just hereditary fast metabolism or something. If you are worried and have consulted a pediatrician yet, you need to do so. Otherwise, it looks like you are serving her a very healthy diet but is she getting very much protein? At lunch is the macaroni only pasta or does it have some meat in it? Not sure about 2 yr olds, but if I don't eat some sort of protein, I still feel hungery. I know the eggs and dairy products are good protein, but maybe it would help if you made sure she has some type of protein every meal/snack. How much milk is she drinking? Maybe substitute her water for milk 2-3 times a day. A light layer of peanut butter on her bread will add protein. Cottage cheese has protein. I know we eat way more meat in America per person than most countries, so I'm not saying to give her only protein, but just try adding a little more in. Good luck w/ you sweet hungry girl.

Our neighbours' 14 month old often has TWO full bowls of porridge just for breakfast. That is just the beginning of what she eats. She's not overweight and she is very happy. If you are still concerned, ask your pediatrician to check her thyroid glands....?

My little one is the same way, I don't see the list below as being toooo much food, my bunch is just the same and she is tiny, she just turned 2 in April. My 4 yr old son though is very tall and skinny for his age, and he will barely eat anything at all at times. I have gotten the 'when they are hungry they will eat' speech many times, but like you I always offer lots of milk, water, and fruit, veggies, yogurts, cheeses. We have breakfast, snack, lunch, rest period, snack, supper, and then milk and snack before bed.
Hope this helps!!
T.

Sounds like she has a very high metabolism! I babysit for a little girl who is ALWAYS hungry. She was so tiny when I started watching her, and has grown 2 clothing sizes. She still only weighs 25 pounds and is still pretty thin but she looks a lot healthier. I try to give her foods that are high in protien and fiber to help keep her tummy full. they also make protien drinks for kids that are pretty nutritional. Have you spoken to her doctor about it? I would not be worried. Kids are constantly growing and on the move - more than most of us adults. If she is hungry let her eat. As long as she is not becoming obese I would leave her be. Just offer healthy foods and snacks (and it sounds like you are). Fruits and vegetables are always the best. Have you tried her on any of the soy food products like the Morningstar or Boca brands? I know you can get them at HyVee in the organic section. I hope this helps a little. E.

I don't know if anyone else has responded with this, I haven't read the responses yet, but have you had her checked for tape worms. They tend to make you eat and eat and not gain weight. A friend had this happen to her. She was always hungry because she wasn't getting the nutrients because of the worms. That is a lot to be eating for a 2 year old and not be overweight. Just a thought I had. Good Luck and God Bless.

I would LOVE for my son to eat that well. I have the pickiest eater EVER. Lunch and dinner times are battle every single day. I think it sounds totally fine that she is eating so well. Like you said none of it is junk. I would run it by her doctor and if he says she is fine I wouldn't worry about it and would be thankful!!

That is a lot of food, but I don't think it's outrageous. As long as she is not overweight and is otherwise healthy, it sounds like she's fine. As you said, it is healthy food. She probably was just blessed with a high metabolism (at least for now). Keep the log, though, so you can show it to your pediatrician next time. You're probably there frequently since you have a new baby (congratulations, btw).

Looks fine to me. The only thing I would ask my pediatrician (not even a big issue) about is the jump from the 5th to 10th percentile. Usually they stay on a growth track and if you are worried about her eating anyway the Dr. might give you some ideas on her pick up in weight.

Really, it looks fine.

Sounds pretty normal to me! I think we live in a world now, where there always has to be something wrong. Just relax and enjoy your little girls and watch them grow, and remember people (even kids) come in all shapes and sizes!!

Don't stress, my middle daughter was/is the same way. It did concern me and now she is 12 and still eats a large amount but always healthy food. Her metabolism is so high that she eats right before bed so she can sleep through the night and then eats immediately when she gets up. She is always hungry but slender and very athletic. But one thing is that she is self conscious of how much she eats because people always comment on it. So try not to mention it in front of her or to other people so they don't.

Good luck,
D.

I'd say if you're really concerned, consult your doctor. That being said, my daughter, Emma, turned 3 last month. We were excited at her 2 year check up when she finally hit the 10% mark on weight (she was about 25% on height). She has always been a big eater, but you can't tell from her size. She does the same thing... she'll have breakfast, then within 5 minutes will want a snack. Same thing with lunch and dinner. It seems that she is always asking for food. Sometimes I think she really is hungry, other times I think she just asks for food to see if she'll get it. If she just ate, she won't get a snack until an hour or so later. That way if she really is hungry I can tell (versus her wanting food, just to have food). Hope this helps!

My oldest use to be a chunk, and it showed! She ate like a pig! I joked around telling everyone she was going to be a hockey player or a line backer! You should see her now!!! OMG! Those extra lbs little by little around 3. She's now 10, still eats like a horse but is skinny as a toothpick! Makes me sick!! :-) Takes after her mom in her younger years. As long as her ht/wt is porportioned and show she is growing there's nothing really to worry about. You might want to consider a childrens vitamin too if your concerned about the amount of protien your daughter is getting.