Why does my 3yr old only want to eat meat or batteries?!?

I wasn't getting any real answers in the diet section.


Red meat and sometimes pork but never turkey or chicken. He's been rufusing food since he was introduced to it. He was on an ensure diet until just recently. He just won't eat anything else on his plate. I have talked with his doctors plenty of times about this. At one point when he was 1, he would only eat fish. So that is what I fed him... everyday... then I became worried about mercury. He tested high but in normal range. So I stopped. The boy won't even eat bread! I can't explain the frustration. Anyone have any ideas? He's also eating things he shouldn't.... paper, playdo, flowers, "batteries" yeah trip to ER last week... They asked him why he ate it and he said, "I HAD to. I hungry for Batteries" The battery was actually an inch long sharp screw. long story. anyway,so I think great he's got low iron. Just what he needs! Why does he only crave meat and Batteries?

Why does my 3yr old only want to eat meat or batteries?!?
im not so sure this is a simple eating problem, have your dr check him out good, maybe check for pica ( basically a need to eat strange things) and other eating disorders and problems. if you find out why hes wanting to eat non-edible items maybe you can get him straightened out and eating good foods





in the meantime, id still give him the ensure since he will drink it, and it has the nutrients he needs to get by on.
Reply:you really need to speak with you doc or health visitor...it could be he is low on certain victim and that is why he is craving these things...you doc should give him blood test to see what is going on...good luck
Reply:Maybe your kid is training to enter the Guinness book of records. I read the other day about a man who eat a whole plane.I'm sure he must have started by eating batteries and stuff.
Reply:Keep all non-foods away from him and as long as he is growing and his nutritional levels are fine - let him be. My daughter is really picky and I make sure she has one Ensure a day and I make sure she takes her daily vitamin.
Reply:Just keep him away from the 'D' cells as rapid weigh gain for a 3 yr old isn't good. But I would say if he starts doing this a lot, switch to rechargeable.





I think it is just commonsense that if one likes a certain food they are needing those minerals. But it hasn't been proven. Most of us would just eat sugar and gravy if we didn't know it was bad for us.





They use to say this all the time about dogs. If they ate grass they were deficient in their diet. Now my vet says, "Maybe he just likes to eat grass, I don't know, because he ain't telling me."





Of course if he likes meat and you think he is craving iron, them see if he likes liver. I personaly hate it, except sometimes fried chicken livers, but maybe he will love it.





BTW, I don't know about kids but they think most men have too much iron and most women don't.
Reply:My 3 year old is a very picky eater too.I used to buy spagetti-o's but he wouldnt eat them.but when he see's his friend Draven eat them he will eat with him.Go figure.


Try a variety platter.give him some fish sticks,chicken nuggets, some type of veggies.also my brothers loved it when i made meatloaf in the shape of a fish.make his food into different things.a car, train, battery.


have you given him vitamins to ensure that he is getting enough? they even make it in gum now!there are also ...oh what is the name......little granola bar things that are enriched with vitamins in the baby food aisle.
Reply:I can understand the frustration. My daughter would only eat chicken nuggets and mac n cheese. For 4 months. And then she was always starving because we did not give into it. She had to have "breakfast food" in the morning and "dinner food" at dinner time. She did eventually get into the swing of things. I know another little boy that will gag at the smell of turkey and only eat a certain brand of waffles. Kids are baffling. I know it's hard to hear his stomach rumbling and rumbling. Just keep the non-food items away for awhile so that he's not tempted to eat them and maybe he'll swing back to snacks. That way maybe you could sneak some cheese and crackers in there or something else healty. Good Luck!
Reply:THe kid wont starve himself. Dont give into him. Put his food in front of him, if he does not eat it he goes hungry. When he comes back asking fro food before u have served the next meal offer him the last meal that he didnt eat. He will eventually eat.





AS for the batteries.... dont keep them near him. And if he starts to eat something like playdough take it away and he will get the picture.





Grow some ballls and take charge, you are the boss not him





HE WILL NOT STARVE HIMSELF. IF HE DIDNT EAT THE DOCTOR WOULD ADMIT HIM TO A HOSPITAL NOT TELL YOU JUST TO FEED HIM BATTERIES OR MEAT. HE STILL WOULD NOT BE GETTING THE NUTRITON FROM JUST MEAT. IF YOUR SON DIDNT EAT FOR TWO WEEKS HE WOULD BE DEAD. YOU NEED TO OFFER HIM ONLY HIS MEALS AND WATER NO OTHER NUTRITON AND HE WILL EAT ITS A MEDICAL FACT. YOUR TOTALLY FULL OF IT. GROW A BRAIN