I am looking for any advice or help with this one...am starting to tear my hair out!! I have a 2 year old that I have been seeing for feeding. When I started he wasn't chewing well and also was resistant to new foods. Now he is chewing much better and is trying some new foods but mom is complaining that his appetite has gone down, he is eating much less and is spitting out food (that he previously was eating). He also used to sit at the table for mealtimes but now takes one mouthful of food, spits it out and then wants to get down. I have tried so many strategies with this family. I have talked about no snacking in between meals to increase appetite (which I don't think they do consistently), I have suggested when he spits food out to try to get him to eat that last piece and then say he is all done. Mom is insistent that he sit at the table until they are finished and so I have suggested she allow him to play with some quiet toys at the table while they continue eating so that he at least sitting there, and she said this hasn't really worked, he still wants to get down. I am really getting desperate and both mom and I are getting frustrated. There are a few family issues, for example, he is sometimes out for dinner and if he is out he will get snacks and take-away, which he eats! Please, anyone with any ideas. Anything would be helpful. Mom really wants him to sit at the table and eat his dinner with the family. I have also suggested giving him smaller portions of food at dinner so he is more likely to try something and also using a timer to indicate when he can get down.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!