Hi everyone,

A lovely lady has come to me seeking help for her foster kids, and I'd like to pass on her concerns to gather as much advice as possible from all you wonderful people.

She has recently taken on eight foster children, from a background of extreme neglect. Some of them (ranging from four years old to teenage) are basically anorexic - extremely malnourished, little more than skin and bones. She is trying to fatten them up, but wants to do so healthily. The four year old is her main concern, as he is refusing most food at present. Most of them are sick - their immune systems are shot. She came to me because I recently ran a nutrition workshop and food demonstration at our church, focussing on raw/ vegan foods.

I've given some basic advice such as increasing the healthy fats in their diets... avocado and banana puddings, nut and seed pates etc. I suggested green smoothies wtih young coconut (high in calories because of the fruit... iron because they are all anaemic... healthy fats from the coconut, which is also good for strengthening immunity... and hopefully easier to get lots down for the child with the food refusal issues.) I also thought blended soups might be good, again because they are easy to eat and easy on the digestion - a way of getting in more calories.

I also recommended some supplements such as spirulina, blue-green algae and barleygrass, as well as olive leaf extract for the immunity. If there are any more supplements you guys would recommend, please let me know.

They are extrememely new to this way of eating, and don't have any special equipment, so the denser dehydrator recipes are off the cards at the moment.

If anyone has any suggestions, especially good, simple recipes that are kid-friendly and good for weight gain - and don't require dehydrating - please let me know!! This poor lady is doing her best - but she is also feeding a family of twelve at the moment, so my heart goes out to her.

Thanks a million!!!!!
Glowgirl

I would try to get some normal looking fruit smoothies into these kids. Most kids won't touch anything green, but might drink some smoothies.

These kids don't really need food at the moment. They need understanding, love and stability and they need to learn trust too. Food would be the last thing I would worry about at the moment.

Little kids will try new foods if they help prepare it, so I would buy some small kids knives and ask the 4 year old to help cut up foods.

Sadly with these kids, I don't think raw is the answer as they will probably return home sooner or later. I would just try to get as much healthy food into them as possible.


Joss

I will try to remember to buy a couple of plastic kid safe knives at this years Royal Show in a couple of weeks time. They sell them every year so I guess they will be there again this year too.


Joss

I agree with Jocelyn. Nutrition is only one side of the dice in kids coming from extreme neglect. There's love, rest, play, approval, understanding, relaxation, talking of problems and time. The 4 year old would benefit from a social interaction group, preferably a sport that doesn't tax him too much but kicks in his hunger and unclears the fog from his brain. It will build approval within himself and love will start to filter in. Lots of time in fresh sunshine, take the 4 yr old to the beach and let him swim with his siblings. Let him taste freedom from neglect. Exercise will stimulate his eating and his sleeping and his joy.

Extreme neglect can lead to all sorts of problems. Depression for one and it might take a while for these kids to reconnect with life. You can't hurry it. Or blame them. They might feel it's their fault that they don't want to eat, but it isn't and I would say that I'd carry through giving them healthy meals with nonchalance. Don't make a big deal of it. Freeze cut up fruit on kebab sticks and let them enjoy. Their tastes buds might not be used to raw. Let them adjust.

And remember that raw pulls away all the crappy emotions. It doesn't numb you out like cooked food. These kids are going to deal with emotions that have been buried inside. It takes courage to reveal yourself. Maybe a trip to a great naturopath that can help deal with these emotions as they surface so that they can be dealt with accordingly.

The neglect will form parts of their personality. It can lead to a compassionate, understanding person. Or, it can make them angry. Talking out their problems would help. Let the kids make dinner and involve them in the daily task of living. Take them to the fruit shop and let them choose their own fav fruits. Take them to the markets and let them help buy the produce.

Recipes: Frozen fruit kebabs * 3 pear, 1 orange (with half pith included)and Strawberry juice blended with 1 frozen banana and put into icy pole containers and freeze.* Almond milk with smoothies every afternoon after school - can be drunk on it's own or added with vanilla or a banana.* Buy a big bag of macadamias in shells and let them crack them out in the open air and eat immediately *

Good luck to her and her new foster children. 

raw food is the healthiest food. healthiest food equals the happiest kids, happiest kids equals the healthiest kids.

nutiriton is the foundation for everything. how can we listen to someone's feelings or express our own if we are feeling bloated, feverish, aching, coughing , inflamed or generally 'cooked'.

because these kids will probably end up getting fed chopped up animals etc. it would seem logical to feed em up on as much fresh fruit and veg as they care for.