Not eatting, making self throw up when upset and only 9 (LONG) UPDATE
My dd is 9, she's adopted and has a mulititude of problems. She throws fits when not getting her way, lies uncontrollably, and has to be in control of everything and everyone. She's on meds for the ADD and the docs won't change anything until she is retested for the ADD and tested for anxiety, depressioin, bi-polar, etc. The process is going to take months up to a year to get in to get this taken care of. She's now being teased by other children because of the fit throwing and basically anything else as she's labeled herself and now an easy target.
The latest is her weight, they are telling her she's over weight. She is thin as a rail 53" tall, and only 53 lbs. Since the summer has gone on she's gotten skinny, sickly looking. I took her to the doctor the other day and they said she is underweight below 0% of her age and height, and when she found out she started cheering. I've been forcing her to eat as she tells me she's always full and not hungry. I bought some protein shakes to add to her meals to help gain weight. On top of this if she gets in trouble (not listening, lying, etc) she starts making herself sick (complaining of headaches and now getting so upset throwing up). I've contacted her doctor as the one we saw the other day wasn't her doc just one that was available. I'm waiting on a call back but can someone give me some hints on what to do in the meantime, or tell me what they think is going on. I think it's some type of anxiety but the docs don't want to do anything until she's retested but I don't think I can wait that long.
Update:
The clinic that saw her and said she was underweight was a new clinic, I took her back to the doctor that's been seeing her for years. Although she is skinny they aren't concerned as she loses this much weight every summer. They have talked to her about what can happen to her body if she continues not to eat, the doc thinks she's eatting less because of the heat as my children are very active. He also put her on an anxiety med to help with the stress she is dealing with as this all started when the daycare kicked her out for lying. A counselor hit her in the face but since the daycare can't find anyone that saw the incident they are calling her a liar and told her not to come back. For the past few weeks she's just been at home with a sitter so not getting to interact with her peers.
It's an unfortunate thing that kids that young (and at ANY age) are getting teased about weight, especially when there is nothing wrong with her weight (now there is, but there wasn't when she was being teased). She is in the beginning stages of an eating disorder, and you need to get her help now before it gets worse - it's not going to get better. You said it yourself... she's labled herself. Definitely sounds like she has a lot of anxiety problems. She needs some structure to make her realize that you are in control, not her. But I'd start with controlling the anxiety and eating disorder.
I think hospitalizing her is going to the extreme, is there anything natural that helps anxiety until I can get the doc to help or to understand that waiting until she's tested isn't an option.
Also someone mentioned that making her eat can make her refuse to eat more, is this true. I can monitor breaksfast and supper and she eats but because i make her eat it. I don't see how it makes it worse if i'm sitting there making sure she's getting the nutrition she needs. I'm going to the store today to get a new blender and some frozen fruits to add to the protein shakes to make them more appealing. We only started those yesturday.
Does she have a psychologist?
Quoting mustang09:I think hospitalizing her is going to the extreme, is there anything natural that helps anxiety until I can get the doc to help or to understand that waiting until she's tested isn't an option.
Also someone mentioned that making her eat can make her refuse to eat more, is this true. I can monitor breaksfast and supper and she eats but because i make her eat it. I don't see how it makes it worse if i'm sitting there making sure she's getting the nutrition she needs. I'm going to the store today to get a new blender and some frozen fruits to add to the protein shakes to make them more appealing. We only started those yesturday.
Do this. Fix it before it gets worse. It's already bad and you don't want her to possibly die from this
Quoting marchantmom06:
I would hospitalize her. Get her some actual help.
How heartbreaking I can only imagine the pain you also go thru in adopting this child and having the problems arise that you basically have no control over and can't help...I'm so sorry....I agree with some of the advice already given...second opinion counceling on whatever level this would be...I don't know all the hostory but did the natural parents have pysch problems? esteem? Did she know them? Is this her way of acting out if she did know her natural parents and mayb she just misses them? again not sure of all the details but seriously think ur pediatrician is limited on what he is doing...get her in to see another for a 2nd opinion one who specializes in pediatrics...in our state we have ER's and then we had ER's special for just children....and what a difference it makes int he care the kids receive and the end results...some docs are just limited in their knowledge and resources for children's issue....If you feel like sharing private message me the details and I will see if I can "talk aloud" some scenarios that might click with you and maybe send you on a better route to discovering the root of the problem...I'll be praying for you both!
I agree with pp about taking her to a therapist. A therapist can help you diagnos what's going on in her head better than we on cafemom can and a therapist can direct you in what to do when it comes to her conditions.
Growth spurt?
- mustang09
on Aug. 7, 2012 at 11:09 AM