My Nephew is almost 8 years old and he lives with his mother and comes to stay with his dad every other weeken

Question

d. He refuses to eat food when he is here, I mean literally will not eat, I have sat him at the table for 2 hours to eat a hot dog before and I have to say take a bite and he takes a tiny tiny bite and chews it for 15 min. , and if you do not do that he will not eat anything the whole time he is here. UNLESS it is something like chips, or candy, he is severly underweight, you can see every bone in his body, and he is always really really sick, could there be something wrong at his moms home or something, I am very worried about him because when he was at my house a few days ago he ate a hot dog and after he laid on the couch for a half hour holding his stomach saying it hurt, Could he just be putting on an act or maybe it's just his age, I'm not sure but I am worried so anyone that can help it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer 1

First, I would ask him why he doesn't want to eat.  He's 8 years old, he can tell you if he doesn't like it or what he might prefer to eat.  After that, you need to start getting involved.  He might have a digestive problem (physical), or it might be emotional, but I think Dad needs to interfere at some point.  Try feeding the kid something a little bit more nutritious than a hot dog.  He might not like them, or they might upset his stomach.  Hot dogs are basically junk food.  Try some spaghetti, mac and cheese,  something kid friendly.

Answer 2

Take him to a doctor.  If he tells his mother and she makes a big fight over it, atleast you know what the doctor told you.

Answer 3

There is something wrong.

You need to find out what is going on.  He may be afraid to eat for some reason and when he did end up eating, he was feeling guilty or afraid, thus the stomach ache.  Not all stomach aches are physical, a lot of times they are mental.

Maybe something is going on and the chips and candy are his rewards for something and they make him feel good.  Most children don't turn their nose up at hot dogs.

I am not one at all that pushes doctors, psychologists, etc.  I stay away from them at all costs.  But sometimes there is something underlying that we as parents just can't figure out or fix.  This sounds like one of them.

Answer 4

If he is severely underweight and not eating anything besides junk food I would suggest allowing him junk food until he gains some weight. I had an issue similar with my son when he was 2-3 years old. The eating therapist we saw recommended allowing the junk food and adding extra fat to any foods he would eat. It isn't meant to solve the long term issues or even be a long term fix but it can help him gain some weight fast. I would also suggest taking him to see a doctor. If he is only with Dad every other weekend find a clinic that works on Saturdays. Any number of medical issues could be causing this. Or it could be enviromental or spychologgical. The main thing is to get calories inside him and get a diagnosis to work with.

Answer 5

I would definitely talk to both parents about the problems encountered with your nephew and the concerns you have about his health.

I wouldnt hesitate to seek medical advice.  It could very well be a life threatening situation.