OT - appetite stimulant for a 7 yo?

DS1 has always been a picky eater, but he used to get a decent quantity.
Lately, though, he barely eats anything. He's still gaining height,
and a teeny tiny bit of weight, but it's getting me really worried. He
asks for 2 hot dogs for lunch, and only manages to eat 1/2 of one.

He's currently taking concerta for ADHD, so I figure that's part of the
problem. Any suggestions on how to make him feel a bit more hungry?

He keeps explaining to me that his stomach is only "this big", and holds
up his fist. Just so smart, almost too much so, sometimes.
--
Cheri Stryker

mom to DS1 - 7 yrs, and DS2 - 3.5 months

Check out my new breastfeeding T-shirts on CafePress!
http://www.cafepress.com/dancingbones

I don't know how much exercise he is getting, but a half an hour running
around the park usually makes my 4 yo ravenous. Also, letting her prepare
it herself usually results in a better "appetite". I also read somewhere
that if you put a lot of food on a kid's plate that they will eat less than
if you feed them some and let them ask for a second serving. I guess they
get overwhelmed or something? Can he switch to a different medication for
his ADHD? I admit I don't know anything about that, but it was just a
random thought. Have you discussed with his doctor???
"Cheri Stryker" wrote in message
...
DS1 has always been a picky eater, but he used to get a decent quantity.
Lately, though, he barely eats anything. He's still gaining height, and a
teeny tiny bit of weight, but it's getting me really worried. He asks for
2 hot dogs for lunch, and only manages to eat 1/2 of one.

He's currently taking concerta for ADHD, so I figure that's part of the
problem. Any suggestions on how to make him feel a bit more hungry?

He keeps explaining to me that his stomach is only "this big", and holds
up his fist. Just so smart, almost too much so, sometimes.
--
Cheri Stryker

mom to DS1 - 7 yrs, and DS2 - 3.5 months

Check out my new breastfeeding T-shirts on CafePress!
http://www.cafepress.com/dancingbones

"Cheri Stryker" wrote in message
...
He's currently taking concerta for ADHD, so I figure that's part of the
problem. Any suggestions on how to make him feel a bit more hungry?

How does he feel on the concerta? I've understood that some people can feel
wonky or stoned on it, so it might be worthwhile to check if that's what
tanked his appetite.

Jess

CY wrote:

I don't know how much exercise he is getting, but a half an hour running
around the park usually makes my 4 yo ravenous. Also, letting her prepare
it herself usually results in a better "appetite". I also read somewhere
that if you put a lot of food on a kid's plate that they will eat less than
if you feed them some and let them ask for a second serving. I guess they
get overwhelmed or something? Can he switch to a different medication for
his ADHD? I admit I don't know anything about that, but it was just a
random thought. Have you discussed with his doctor???

Haven't had a chance, yet, as this has just really gotten bad in the
past week or so.... Most of the meds available are similar to concerta
- basically speed, which does decrease appetite. I guess I was hoping
for some kind of miracle herb, or something.
--
Cheri Stryker

mom to DS1 - 7 yrs, and DS2 - 3.5 months

Check out my new breastfeeding T-shirts on CafePress!
http://www.cafepress.com/dancingbones

Jess wrote:

"Cheri Stryker" wrote in message
...

He's currently taking concerta for ADHD, so I figure that's part of the
problem. Any suggestions on how to make him feel a bit more hungry?


How does he feel on the concerta? I've understood that some people can feel
wonky or stoned on it, so it might be worthwhile to check if that's what
tanked his appetite.

Jess

I figure it probably is at least part of the culprit - speed pretty much
does that, and that's basically what concerta is.

I've not really gotten a straight answer out of him about how it makes
him feel; he really doesn't like to talk about how he feels at all - to
the extent of having massive tooth decay and not saying a word about it
until he now needs crowns. But you can definitely tell when it kicks in
- particularly now, on summer vacation. The frantic, screechy craziness
just kind of turns off: yesterday he went from running and flailing
around the living room to sitting and reading like he was walking
through a door. (Still not really sure about how I feel about it....)
--
Cheri Stryker

mom to DS1 - 7 yrs, and DS2 - 3.5 months

Check out my new breastfeeding T-shirts on CafePress!
http://www.cafepress.com/dancingbones

"Cheri Stryker" wrote in message
...
I've not really gotten a straight answer out of him about how it makes him
feel; he really doesn't like to talk about how he feels at all - to the
extent of having massive tooth decay and not saying a word about it until
he now needs crowns. But you can definitely tell when it kicks in -
particularly now, on summer vacation. The frantic, screechy craziness
just kind of turns off: yesterday he went from running and flailing
around the living room to sitting and reading like he was walking through
a door. (Still not really sure about how I feel about it....)

Well, ok. Then try giving him his concerta with something bland like
applesauce and see what happens.

And yes, I get it. My sister went on ritalin when I was 17, and the shiny
switch flipped off in about three days. It was pretty dramatic to watch, but
the theory is that the speed actually works in reverse and acts like a brake
on the brain's seratonin overfiring that causes the ADD symptoms. Is he
still in school?

Jess

"Cheri Stryker" wrote in message
...
DS1 has always been a picky eater, but he used to get a decent quantity.
Lately, though, he barely eats anything. He's still gaining height, and a
teeny tiny bit of weight, but it's getting me really worried. He asks for
2 hot dogs for lunch, and only manages to eat 1/2 of one.

He's currently taking concerta for ADHD, so I figure that's part of the
problem. Any suggestions on how to make him feel a bit more hungry?

He keeps explaining to me that his stomach is only "this big", and holds
up his fist. Just so smart, almost too much so, sometimes.

you can take this or leave it, but what little I've seen heard read about
ADHD seems to land on the side of not medicating, but actually controlling
it by diet, meaning that hot dogs would not be part of it! I know it's
difficult with a child though, particularly if it means eating different
things to other children, it's definitely something more possible with a
teenager who can understand a lot more and see the different way they are
when they control their diet.

I have a vague recollection that peppermint is an appetite stimulant.

Anne

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
you can take this or leave it, but what little I've seen heard read about
ADHD seems to land on the side of not medicating, but actually controlling
it by diet, meaning that hot dogs would not be part of it! I know it's
difficult with a child though, particularly if it means eating different
things to other children, it's definitely something more possible with a
teenager who can understand a lot more and see the different way they are
when they control their diet.

I have a vague recollection that peppermint is an appetite stimulant.

Diet does not have anything to do with true ADD/ADHD. If the child reacts
better with diet changes, then it is not ADDX/ADHD. It's too bad that people
don't believe this disease is truly a real one and can give other people the
wrong idea.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...
you can take this or leave it, but what little I've seen heard read about
ADHD seems to land on the side of not medicating, but actually controlling
it by diet,

What you've read is inaccurate. ADHD can't be controlled by diet.
Biofeedback does help some, though.

Jess

Sue wrote:
Diet does not have anything to do with true ADD/ADHD. If the child reacts
better with diet changes, then it is not ADDX/ADHD. It's too bad that
people
don't believe this disease is truly a real one and can give other people
the
wrong idea.

Jess wrote:
What you've read is inaccurate. ADHD can't be controlled by diet.
Biofeedback does help some, though.

reply to both in one,

what I've seen/heard/read has been the odd news article, documentary, radio
program that kind of thing, not exactly reliable scientific sources, but not
junk either, so after your very opposing statements I was curious, so
naturally I went to google, now, I can't read every study, but it's fairly
easy to pull up studies that show that dietary control is as good as certain
drugs, they are small studies, they may have faults, as I say, I haven't
read them in full.

To suggest a disease cannot be controlled by diet and to imply that me
suggesting it can be controlled by diet means I don't accept it is a disease
is just false, take the example of type 2 diabetes, that is a disease that
is definitely controlleable by diet, then consider something much more
complicated, depression, again something that is a definitely a disease, but
again something that in mild and even medium forms that there is lots of
evidence to suggest that a combination of diet, exercise and talking
treatments is equally as good, if not better.

Sue, as for saying that if diet does help then they can't have ADHD. Imagine
a child eating entirely fast food showing symptoms of ADHD, then say you
changed that diet to a healthy balanced diet, it would be very surprising if
they didn't show some changes, that may even totally eliminate any symptoms.
In real life, most children are somewhere in the middle, not eating a
perfect diet, eating well, but including additives, processed food etc. then
move a child with ADHD over to a diet designed for ADHD treatment then why
would you not see a change, you might not see a change that is sufficient,
it may just be a very slight change that is nowhere near helping, but the
fact that a diet change made a change in behaviour doesn't mean they didn't
have ADHD and they may still need more treatment. The problem with drug
treatment for any disease is side effects, about the only side effect a diet
has is a change in bowel habits!

I find it quite amusing that I'm writing this, I'm not usually the kind of
person who is all for doing things the natural way or anything, it's just
something I'd heard something about and also there has been a lot in the
news in the UK over the past few years about problems with the various
drugs, so it was just something I threw into the ring. I was really quite
surprised to have such a verment response, diet is a component of treatment
or cause of all sorts of diseases. We know that some foods protect against
cancer and some foods are linked to increased incidence of certain cancers,
so it seems odd that ADHD would be in a class of it's own and uninfluenced
by diet.

Cheers

Anne