Your intuition is telling you that your child is a picky eater but you are unsure. However when your child only chooses to eat the same favourite food for a few months and suddenly decide not to have it anymore, your intuition is most probably not far from the truth.
Picky Eating
Picky eating refers to a situation when a child is usually very selective and decides what, when and how to eat his meals.
You know your child is a picky eater when he:
- Plays with his food eg throwing his food around in hopes of making his meals smaller.
- Takes a long time to finish his meals.
- Only likes certain types of food, food preparation, presentation and maybe even specific food brand.
- Is a poor eater but does not present any associated clinical condition.
Research has shown that nearly half of children in paediatric clinics were shown to be picky eaters and the majority of parents claim that their children have some difficulties during meal times. Therefore, it is no surprise that you are concerned for your child since picky eating could lead to a series of health problems.
Possible Effects Of Picky Eating
- Weight loss and poor mineral and vitamin status
- Difficulty in concentrating at school
- Falling sick frequently due to low immunity against infections
- Poor growth and development
- Increased risk of developing eating disorders in future
Sometimes a child may refuse to eat because he is not accustomed to new foods. At times, they might reject the foods served to them due to food neophobia (unacceptance of new and unfamiliar food).The good news is your role in his acceptance of food is more influential than you think.
Tips On Getting Your Child To Accept New Foods
- Try giving him a variety of food at an early age (after starting complementary feeding). Introducing him to new foods slowly heightens the chances of him accepting the food more easily in future.
- Don’t be surprised if he rejects new food. Persevere and keep trying to feed it to him, sometimes it takes more than 8-9 times to get children to accept a new food.
- Talk to him through this whole process to encourage him to continue trying new dishes served.
- Set limits for your child (eg how long he should take to finish his food). However, do set practical limits so your child would not feel overpowered.
- Don’t forget that children copy their parents. Set a good example when serving new food to him by eating some yourself. He would most likely follow your lead.
If your child is showing signs of poor appetite, nutrition counseling and a nutrition supplement for children ages 1 to 10 years old may help him with catching up in growth and also keep him strong and healthy. This approach may help you and your paediatrician to try to find the real problem underneath poor eating behavior. Do consult a paediatrician for advice on this.
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