Concern about daughter's growth

[aashna]

My daughter has started showing less interest in food when she was almost 1 1/2 yrs old.Now also she is very picky.And she stuffs food in her mouth for very long time.She has some preferences over foods,and she generally finish those without much effort,but otherwise it will take her forever to finish her meal.She is growing at a very slow rate than the other kids of her age.She is otherwise very active and energetic.But,stuffing the food in her mouth for that long really makes to to worry.Is she getting enough nutrient that way?
She is ok with milk,not good though.I give her milk twice a day.She loves snack foods,but is very fussy when it comes to regular meal.
She is gaining weight and height at a very slow rate.Please help !!
How can I help her not to stuff food in her mouth for that long.I have tried different things to make her busy during her meal time,but nothing helped.She has a constipation issue too and is on Mira lax for almost a month or so.

[Renee Radenberg]

Her weight is on the 50th percentile and her height is on the 25th percentile for her age which indicates she is normal for her age. Suggest giving her nutrient dense drinks such as Pediasure or milkshakes (milk and ice cream blended) in place of milk at all meals and between for additional nutrients and protein. The most important aspect is to relax at meals and not to force her to eat.  Let her eat what she wants. Slowly introduce new foods, and if she does not want it, do not make a fuss over it. Let it go and try in a few weeks.

[aashna]

Thanks for your advice.
I will start giving her milk shakes or pediasure instead of just regular milk.
Is food stuffing is of any concern at this age?She has been doing this from a very long time,but she eats things ok when it comes to her fav food.But,i can not give her chicken nuggets,pizza etc in every meal..
I've also watched her hunger pattern...she doesn't get hungry in 5/6 hrs...sometimes may be a little more too..where as i 've seen other kids eating good in each meal...
She hasn't gained any weight,may be just a pound in last 4 months...that makes me worried..

[Renee Radenberg]

It seems from what you wrote that she does not 'stuff' her mouth with foods she likes. Give her foods she likes and try to introduce new foods. Sometimes it takes 5-9 times to introduce a food to a child that they will accept, however, if they do not want it you have to not make a fuss and let it go. If you are concerned about her choice of foods then suggest giving her a children’s chewable daily multi-vitamin. The multi-vitamin and nutrient dense drinks will give her most of the nutrients she needs to grow and gain weight if she eats poor foods choices.