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What Causes Appetiet Loss In An Infant?

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Posted on Tue, 18 Nov 2014
Question: My son is 8 and half months old. Since last couple of days he has been clenching his fists, kind of shivering and making a tight face as if he is mad at something especially when given solid/ semi solid food. This continues a few times each for a few seconds. After that he refuses to eat. He is fine when drinking milk. Otherwise he is very active and does all his regular activities.
What could the reason for this be.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
I have a few questions for you

Detailed Answer:
HI...what you quote seems to be his way of refusing solid diet for which he is not accustomed to. But I have a few questions for you to be doubly sure that we are missing anything else.

Questions -
1. What was the birth weight and what is the current weight?
2. How is the attaining of developmental milestones?
3. Does he lose consciousness when he does this behavior?
4. Does he respond to your voice and call when does this?
5. Is he constipated?
6. Does he choke while feeding liquid diet or milk?

Kindly get back to me with answers to the above questions and I will be glad to help you.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (34 minutes later)
Birth weight: 2.3 kgs Birth date: 9/2/2014
Current weight: approx. 7.5 kgs
How is the attaining of developmental milestones?
He is attaining is milestones: smiles, laughs, babbles, grabs things, has started to crawl, stands with support
3. Does he lose consciousness when he does this behavior?
No it seems like involuntary reaction but when we hold him he s fine
4. Does he respond to your voice and call when does this? Yes it lasts only a few seconds, he cries after that ; so guess even he realizes some discomfort
5. Is he constipated? he is not constipated, passes stools thrice/ four times a day
6. Does he choke while feeding liquid diet or milk? no he doesn t choke

No he has been eating everything that we give him until two days back; even now he eats everything but seems uncomfortable, cries or like what I mentioned above clenches fist and makes an angry face, shivers. At times even when he is not eating, he makes some chuckles in the mouth and then does the same. Seems at times if a spoon touches some part of the mouth, or if his tongue touches its like a spontaneous reaction; eg if we have very cold water after a dental treatment.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (24 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
It seems like a normal phenomenon - Don't worry

Detailed Answer:
Hi...It seems like a normal reaction to solid food. But i do not fathom the reason why he is starting to do this only now as you told he started this behavior off late and previously he had been eating well.

As far as I could tell this is not a seizure from the history and it is not due to constipation as some kids do. But one more thing I want to get to your notice is that his weight is less than 5th percentile. But this may not be quite significant as the birth weight is only 2.3 kg. As his development and activities are perfect for his chronological age, do not worry about his weight now.

As he does not choke on liquid diet it is unlikely that he is having an obstructive lesion in the gut or the food pipe.

M<y suggestion is to make the porridges and soft solids more palatable for him or give him only the food substance which he likes - according to your experience with him.

Another suggestion which I thought will help your son will be taking a video and uploading it on this site for me to see or show it to your local pediatrician as you cannot feed him in the pediatrician's office and show him a live demonstration.

I wish your kid a speedy recovery. If you need any future medical consultation and suggestions, I will be glad to help. You can approach me at the following link. Please find the link below.
www.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-sumanth-amperayani/67696





Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (25 hours later)
Am attaching a video here while feeding, does not always react like this. Not sure if its his reaction to fruits/ tastes that he does not like.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Please write to website's technical team

Detailed Answer:
Hi....I am happy that my suggestion about taking a video and uploading has been accepted. But at the same time I am sorry that I am unable to suggest you how to upload a video. This, I suggest you write or contact this website's technical team.

Other option is that you can approach your pediatrician with the kid and video.

Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Sumanth Amperayani

Pediatrician, Pulmonology

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 8339 Questions

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What Causes Appetiet Loss In An Infant?

Brief Answer: I have a few questions for you Detailed Answer: HI...what you quote seems to be his way of refusing solid diet for which he is not accustomed to. But I have a few questions for you to be doubly sure that we are missing anything else. Questions - 1. What was the birth weight and what is the current weight? 2. How is the attaining of developmental milestones? 3. Does he lose consciousness when he does this behavior? 4. Does he respond to your voice and call when does this? 5. Is he constipated? 6. Does he choke while feeding liquid diet or milk? Kindly get back to me with answers to the above questions and I will be glad to help you. Regards - Dr. Sumanth