Teen Doesn't Eat-Never Hungry

[karenb2001]

I have a 15 year boy that has always been a picky eater.  Last year, I took him to the doctor for a physical and explained my concerns. She said as long as his weight is normal (it was in the low percentile for average) don't push food on him anymore.  To be honest, it was a relief not to argue over meals anymore.  I told him to eat when he wants, what he wants and take a daily multivitamin.  He's tall and very thin, to the point he is aware of it and tries to hide it under bulky clothing.  He has expressed he would love to gain weight, that I should buy protein drinks or anything high in calories.  My question is:  Is there a condition where someone is rarely hungry and has an aversion to most foods?  He says sometimes he gets hungry, then it passes and he's not hungry anymore.  He wants to change, but nothing looks good to eat.  I would like to add he does eat cereal and pizza with no problems and never gets tired of this diet.  He has been this way since about 2years old.  I can't seem to find anything on the internet except about anorexia, which doesn't seem right because he wants to gain weight.

[Alexe1]

Yea... As a 22 year old male. I was recently diagnosed with Graves Disease... I am Hyper Thyroid and have probably been so since 2nd or 3rd grade.. I too was a picky eater.. only eating popcorn and a few of my mas homecooked meals and yes pizza (lol). When I was diagnosed I was 6'0 120p and I thought it was all normal. I also could not sleep. I would tell my ma and she would say im not trying hard enough! /cry I didn't know what to do.. I was sitting next to my buddy one day when my ma noticed my neck was bigger than his.. Well it wasn't right because my buddy works out and weighs 200 pounds. We immediately saw the doctor.. and he was surprised because he was certain I didnt have it (idiot).. Well!!!! I had it! My whole life! and I thought it was all normal!! I stumbled on this sight! and noticed some of the storys were oddly similar. Please get your child checked for thyroid problems! I almost died and don't want anyone to go through what I went through...  Have a blessed day everyone!

[Midlifemom1955]

My 16-year-old son is 6'1" tall and weighs 120. He doesn't care to eat but wants to gain weight. His doctor said not to worry about it, but I do.  His dad is a food pusher, always trying to get him to eat, offering to get him whatever he wants, but he never wants anything, except a steak burrito. Can't make a steady diet out of that. I'm concerned and frustrated.

[mother434]

my 16 year old son does the same thing. nothing i give him to eat he says its not good  and it taste bad, he does not want to bathe and he is always stearing at something i dont know what. and wispering to him self  i took him to a doctor all his test came back normal he is always sleepy and tired  if people have the same thing please i need help with him.   i am alicia my number is 1767 1645199

[allyprincess1]

Hi there all. I'm reading over and over that your children are having problems eating and putting on weight. Have any of you seen a dietitian? Honestly, that would be my best assumption to fixing any of their physical issues. And yes, they may in fact have a slow metabolism, which would require much less food than you are accustomed to, but the plain fact is, everyone's body works a little different. Try a few different diets, especially with a child/teen/young adult who has ADD or ADHD, which can both be controlled with simple dietary restrictions. Both a paleo lifestyle and juicing are great alternatives to the average american diet, which relies heavily on starches and fats.  A paleo diet only consists of foods that you would be able to "gather or hunt" such as fish, vegetables, and fruits. Juicing (as mentioned before) may me much easier for your kids to not only consume, but process due to the micro-nutrients being more accessible. Both of these changes in diet will (if done right) giv

[allyprincess1]

Hi! :) sometimes when a person is craving bread (which it seems your son lives off) their body is telling them they need nitrogen, which is found in most high protein foods such as fish, poultry, or beans. I would also like to suggest a paleo, juiced, or vegan diet, with a nutritionist as a guide (at least for the beginning, since it can be tricky to balance). With a paleo diet your son wouldn't be eating any processed foods and would have access to protein. A vegan diet would be over all beneficial to his health if done right. And juicing is a quick way to get the nutrition he needs without needing to swallow whole foods.

[dalaclif]

This is such a relief--my son is 12 and is never hungry.  he has weighed 70 lbs since he was 8 years old.  He has gotten taller, but does not put on weight.  His pediatrician became concerned and sent him for all sorts of tests.  Everything came back fine, and the gi study showed that his stomach emptied slowly, causing him to feel full longer.

He too, eats pizza, but not so much cereal.  I usually can get him to drink a milkshake in the morning, and I load it with ice cream, 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk, and plenty of Carnation instant breakfast.  I figure he gets about 500 calories per shake.

He is very active and usually forgets to eat.  He never finishes anything I give him.

It is a relief to see that there are others in my situation, and it may not be as bad as I think it could be.