Dear Val, I think you have a couple of issues going here.  One is
geographic tongue and one is a typical toddler who doesn't eat much.  I
dumped Aug posts (I was SO far behind!) so I don't know hx.  But here goes.


Geographic tongue just is.  It is called benign migratory glossitis (that's
what I have).  Painful geographic tongue can come from various local and
systemic problems and this would need to be ruled out by HCP. ie:
deficiencies(B vitamins, iron), mouth breathing (enlg adenoids), irritants
(spices, smoking, alcohol-tell baby to quit smoking and drinking!),
sensitization to toothpaste,
mouthwash, candy dyes, and several generalized skin diseases.

Toddlers are notoriously poor eaters, especially if anemic.  I tell moms
that 2 years old live on air.  They also eat incredibly small portions,
like a 1/2 slice bread, 1-2 Tablespoons of a fruit or vegetable (like 12
peas, 5 string beans 1/2 small potato, 1/2 an apple, 1/2 banana etc.)  If
they get any junk food (glass of juice, kool aid etc or one cookie, one
piece of candy) there goes the appetite!  It's a stage that parents agonize
over and kids holds all the power.  Don't make it into a war.  They WILL
eat if hungry!  Just have good choices around.  Also toddlers frequently
get on food jags and only eat a couple of foods endlessly, and then next
month it is a different few foods.

She might try making her own bread, healthy with eggs, extra dry milk,
wheat germ,)  Are you familiar with the Cornell Triple Rich recipe for
enriching flour?  In a cup, put  1 Tablespoon soy flour, 1 Tablespoon dry
milk powder, 1 tsp. wheat germ (I always used 1 Tablespoon), fill cup with
unbleached flour for 1 cup of super flour.  This flour must be used up or
refrigerated.  Wheat germ can be whirled in blender to make it more
flour-like.  Unless this little picky eater is used to whole wheat bread,
he will probably object to full whole wheat bread.  But the Cornell recipe
sort of does the same thing nutrition-wise, with less heaviness.

I'll copy this to Lactnet in case anyone else is interested. If I'm
repeating info given, sorry about that.  Didn't have time to read posts and
don't have time to read archives now!   Sincerely, Pat in SNJ, USA

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> From: Val Best RN RM IBCLC <[log in to unmask]>
> To:
> Subject: Re: Geographical tongue
> Date: Wednesday, September 03, 1997 7:13 PM
>
> After recent discussion on Lactnet, I told my friend with a 17 month
> old with the condition of your comments.  She was most interested but
> wanted me to ask of you:  The baby hates almost all food, except
> bananas.  He won't eat any meat or anything with even pureed meat
> hidden in it, he lives on bread and bananas and won't even eat
> cheese.  The lack of protein is a real concern to Mum.  She recently
> stopped breastfeeding and he won't drink milk or juice, only water.
> Any tips?  She wants to know if the dislike of food is from the
> Geogaphic tongue and it has all stemmed from that?
> Val in Busselton, Western Australia
> RN RM IBCLC
>