**Please contact his pediatrician today about the excessive thirst, and stop putting food into his mouth against his will.** Near-total food refusal with gagging and distress deserves assessment rather than being treated as ordinary picky eating.

Drinking unusually large amounts can be a sign of **type 1 diabetes**, particularly with more frequent urination or heavier diapers, weight loss, or tiredness. This does not mean he has diabetes, but a clinician should check promptly and may test his blood glucose and urine. **If he also has vomiting unrelated to forced feeding, abdominal pain, unusual sleepiness, or fast/deep breathing, seek emergency care immediately.** [NHS guidance](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms/)

Until he is assessed, keep water available; do not restrict it to make him eat. Record how much water and milk he drinks over 24 hours, including nighttime bottles, and note urination and any weight changes. Do not delay the appointment to collect this information.

For feeding, the aim is to make eating feel safe again:

- **Stop force-feeding, including the first bite.** Pressure can worsen food refusal. Gagging may reflect fear, discomfort, or difficulty managing textures; it should not be assumed to be deliberate misbehavior.
- Offer three small meals and two planned snacks, rather than waiting until he is extremely hungry. Sit together and let him feed himself, with supervision.
- Offer tiny portions of soft, safely prepared foods—such as yogurt, porridge, soft rice, scrambled egg, or banana—alongside family food. He may need easier textures before eating your usual meals.
- Let him touch, smell, or taste food without requiring a bite. End calmly when he is done, and offer it again another day. You choose what and when to offer; he chooses whether and how much to eat. [AAP feeding advice](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Picky-Eaters.aspx)

Ask the pediatrician to review his growth and nutrition, possible pain or constipation, and chewing/swallowing skills. A pediatric feeding therapist and dietitian may help with persistent refusal and gagging. [NHS feeding guidance](https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/media/40wdynoo/pi-therapies-advice-for-infants-and-children-with-delayed-weaning-and-oral-aversion.pdf)

Milk can suppress appetite, and excessive cow’s milk can contribute to iron deficiency. General guidance is about **473–750 mL (16–24 ounces) daily**, but because he currently relies on milk, **do not abruptly remove his main calorie source or try to “wait him out.”** Arrange an individual nutrition plan. [AAP milk guidance](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/your-toddler-only-wants-milk-how-to-ease-milk-dependency-and-encourage-a-healthy-diet.aspx)

To loosen the bedtime attachment, gradually move milk earlier in the routine, practice offering it in an open or straw cup, then brush his teeth and use cuddles, stories, or songs for settling. Avoid leaving a milk bottle in bed. Coordinate reductions with his clinician so his nutrition remains adequate. [AAP bottle-weaning guidance](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Discontinuing-the-Bottle.aspx)