Can anyone help with a fussy eater?

Can someone please help me, my 5 yr old is a very fussy eater and she will starve herself if I tell her that’s the only meal she will be given for brekkie/lunch/dinner. I try to make new things for her as I always have since she could eat. But, she’s extremely fussy or there’s an issue going on and no doctor thinks it’s a bad thing. She’s very petite for her age and her weight and height is below average but all health checks have come back clear. She was born just over 5 pounds and was only overdue by a day. I had complications at birth and she was fighting for her life. She also got her first tooth at 14 months. She’s always been quite particular with her meals, getting upset if the things on the plate touch. I’ve tried adding hidden ingredients in meals and she won’t enjoy the normal texture she’s used to and will throw it back up. I’ve even made her try things and she threw up straight away at the smell of it.
I don’t believe she’s being a difficult child at all and I just want what’s best. My question is does anyone have a child the same as mine and what did you do?

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- - mom80165 said
  - 26 Apr 2021
    2:09 pm
Get her to help make a meal of what she likes and try to get her to try all handy food you have on hand to making lunch or tea. Cheese if she likes it can help her try something new.
- - Jujubear79 said
  - 08 Apr 2021
    8:13 pm
I feel your pain. My now 11 year old been fussy since he was 4. Maybe try a dietician or some Speechpaths can help with fussy eaters as well. It is a struggle…..
- - mom81879 said
  - 13 Nov 2019
    10:35 am
It seems to be there may a deeper issue as to why she’s not eating. Getting upset about food touching on the plate is a bit OCD, as is throwing up at the smell of food. See another GP for a second opinion and even another for a third opinion. Keep going until you get suggestions that might actually help
- - mom160421 said
  - 12 Jun 2018
    5:45 pm
Maybe muffins with vegetables in the batter mix might work.
- - mom58527 said
  - 06 Oct 2014
    10:57 pm
offer small things, and a selection of things
try a fruit platter, or just little snacks around the house
start with that and work your way up
- - mimi_84 said
  - 06 Oct 2014
    12:01 am
These are all good ideas I will be following this post. Thank you
- - mom73211 said
  - 05 Oct 2014
    9:05 pm
Try encouraging your little one to help prepare the meal, even getting her involved in the planting of seeds, watering the plant & picking the vege/fruit when it’s ready.
- - Statho2000 said
  - 04 Oct 2014
    10:33 pm
Does it help if she is involved in the cooking process. A friend had issues and I helped her. Her son got involved and for dinner, for example, had to pick three favourite vegetables and two he wasn’t so keen on. So long as he tried them, it was an achievement. And things over time, got easier. He eventually would eat them without protest.
- - cherz said
  - 04 Oct 2014
    1:59 pm
All the very best to you and your daughter.
- - cherz said
  - 04 Oct 2014
    1:55 pm
I do love mom94125 suggestions and also suggest trying creative fun things with fruits and veggies, like funny face sandwiches with alfalfa for hair, sultanas for eyes, carrot for nose, red capsicum for mouth etc..there are a lot on the internet just google.
Also I am a little concerned about the throwing up if this persists I would take her to a pediatrician also a nutritionist my provide some help as well with foods.
- - mom94125 said
  - 03 Oct 2014
    9:02 pm
my child is fussy but she is starting to grow out of it. so now she will say she doesn’t want food so i leave the plate and go to the sink or sit down and she will get the plate and sit down to eat it. She used to just sit there and cry.

i think that by the time that i made dinner, she was tired, so i made dinner time earlier and focused more on little snacks through the day because she doesn’t like to sit down and eat a huge meal

she also hated the high chair and then her booster chair so after awhile, we got a kids chair and table set and she is happier with more freedom.