DS sick and won't eat....should I start worrying now?

[Hollywood]

Took 19 month old DS to the doctors 2 days ago (Thurs) as he had an ulcer on the roof of his mouth and during Wednesday night he had a fever. We discovered he had an ear infection so he's on antibiotics. Oh, and he now has a cold too and a chesty cough :(

His appetite has been declining for the last few days and now he won't eat ANYTHING. He is still breastfeeding as normal (thankfully), and will have the odd sultana, and does drink a little bit of water and diluted grape juice. All the food he normally likes he pushes away and says "Back" (translation: put it back).

Because he is still BFing (and I'm offering it every couple of hours or so), Im not quite as worried, but I don't know if it's normal for toddlers to not eat a thing when they're sick.

What should I do?

He won't have the multivitamin liquid I got him either, I'm wondering if I should try and force it down.

To make matters worse I feel like I'm coming down with something, I feel achey all over and my bronchials feel sore and hurt when I cough.

Aaaaand, DH has tonsillitis :rolleyes: so he's on antibiotics too. What a bunch of sickos we are :laughing: :(

[Fuchsia!]

Oh poor little man! He is having a rough time isn't he!

I wouldn't worry, my kids NEVER eat when they are sick. As long as they are having fluids then it should be ok.

Maybe you could make some jelly up or give him some custard or something? Just keep offering food, he will eventually start eating soon.

Hope he feels better soon!

[Chickadee]

It's pretty normal for kids, and adults, to not eat much when they don't feel well. As long as he's having feeds and lots of wet nappies he'll be fine with not much to eat for a few days. You could try a gastro diet of light food that might be easiest on his tummy - mashed potatoes, toast, rice, broth, etc.

[Elemik]

I personally wouldn't worry about the eating too much as long as he's getting plenty of liquids. My girls have sometime gone for days eating hardly anything at all. Even when they're better it can still take ages for the eating to get back to normal. With the multivitamin liquid, if your wanting to persist with it, try offering it to him on a spoon with a drop of chocolate or other flavoured icecream topping. This has always worked for me when giving medicine. Of course he'll have to see you putting on the chocolate. Those syringe things have never worked - I think they look too intimidating.

[Hollywood]

Thanks gals, good idea about the jelly etc. I'll just have to keep offering food, he'll eat eventually. He's in good spirits at least.

Geez I hope I'm not getting the flu, I had that once before and was bed ridden for 3 days :(. I simply CANNOT be bed ridden with a 19 month old to look after :no:... especially on Monday when DH goes to work.

[Hollywood]

I personally wouldn't worry about the eating too much as long as he's getting plenty of liquids. My girls have sometime gone for days eating hardly anything at all. Even when they're better it can still take ages for the eating to get back to normal. With the multivitamin liquid, if your wanting to persist with it, try offering it to him on a spoon with a drop of chocolate or other flavoured icecream topping. This has always worked for me when giving medicine. Of course he'll have to see you putting on the chocolate. Those syringe things have never worked - I think they look too intimidating.

Good idea about the choc topping....only I don't have any :crying:.

He's ok with the syringe if the antibiotics are in it, or Panadol, he seems to like the flavour of those. But yesterday I put the vitamin liquid in a dropper and he looked at it and pushed it away, wouldn't have a bar of it :no:. I even resorted to putting it in lemonade but he was on to me with that one too :rolleyes: and wouldn't drink it.

Thank god for breastfeeding :yes:

[mim1]

When my ds has an ulcer or a sore throat I make sure I give him panadol about 1/2 hour before I offer food. Then I offer him pureed food and custard. I've had some success with those when he's sick. He's 19 months old too.

[Mahjong]

Im glad that he's still taking the breastmilk Libby, once he starts refusing the breastfeeds though, I would get him looked at ASAP. Even when he starts to feel better, it can sometimes take a week or two until he starts eating normally again.

Hope he gets better soon, I hope you all do! We had a nasty bug last month and it took 3 weeks to bugger off!

[madlaina]

I wouldn't worry about the lack of appetite as long as he takes the breast. I know I don't feel like eating most of the time when I'm sick and I imagine a sore mouth doesn't help.
Also remember, if you feel like you're getting something too, it means your body will be producing heaps of antibodies, that will pass through your breastmilk. That will help his recovery too. Just make sure YOU drink enough too.

[JabberJaw]

Have you checked in his mouth for more ulcers?
Hand foot and mouth causes ulcering in the mouth, it starts off with one and gradually more and more show up. My son has had it and i was oblivious to it, the poor little bugger, he would only take water.
If yr DS has still got only the one ulcer he started with, please disregard my post! my boy did not get the blisters on his hands or feet as some children do. He just had a gob full of ulcers and even his tounge had them :(