Food addiction in a child
Has anyone delt with a child with a food addiction ? What did you do?
My stepson was neglected by his bio mum as a baby and we've been told it likely stems from that but not how to help him.
But its getting so bad now, just yesterday I turned my back on him for not even 20 seconds to put my baby's changing bag down and he grabbed some raw bacon off the side (was just waiting for the oven to heat up hence it was on the side) and he ate the raw bacon then later was trying to eat frozen potato shapes from the freezer. I feel like an awful parent for letting this happen on my watch 😔
He gets plenty of food to eat he eats more than an adult does and he's 5! He is extremely active so thankfully he's not over weight. But this obsession for food is going to make him seriously ill if we don't do something but I don't know what to do anymore
I think this is therapy territory. Can you find a family therapist who deals with neglect and food difficulties? Someone who does play therapy with him and then also sessions with him/you/your co-parent to help you develop strategies would be ideal I think.