How to handle eating problems of children

One often comes across a mother complaining that her child refuses to eat and meal times have become battle times. An examination reveals that the child is healthy and well-nourished with height and weight securely within normal limits. Toddlers generally have small appetites and very firm likes and dislikes.

Feeding and eating difficulties frequently result from excessive parental insistence on eating and the subsequent anxiety of the parents. The child’s negative reaction often results from undue mealtime stress. This calls for an improvement in parent-child relationship.

Eating habits during the first and second year of life distinctly affect the subsequent years.

 

 

How eating problems begin?

A toddler’s eating problems may start because the parents can have unrealistic ideas about how much and what sort of food the child needs. The following can be the reasons:

1. Too much confusion at mealtime.
2. Insufficient time for eating.
3. Food dislikes of other members of the family.
4. Poorly prepared or food served unattractively.
5. Past history of force-feeding.
6. Irregular meals — Asking the child to eat when he or she is not hungry.
7. Unsuitable meals.
8. Unreasonable large portions of food.
9. Multiple opportunities for distraction.
10. Most importantly, how much does the child eat between meals? A well-nourished child is getting food from somewhere. Not all parents regard sweets and other such things as being food. Some mothers, while concerned about their child’s poor food intake, apparently provides very little variety in a child’s diet.

 

 

Food fads

Some children eat food prepared and presented in a certain way only and develop strong likes and dislikes, which changes frequently. These food fads are one of the ways children try to assert themselves as individuals. Fads are rarely a danger to health.

Tips to help the child

As long as they are offered wholesome food, children are remarkably good at eating. They eat an appropriate quantity of food when allowed a free chance.

• As it is impossible to force a child to eat, avoid confrontation at mealtime. Develop a relaxed atmosphere. Mealtimes should be happy times with a conversation concerning subjects of interest to the entire family.
• Use favorite food as a reward.
• Reduce eating between meals if possible. Though many children prefer small, frequent snacks.
• A comfortable chair of proper height with a foot-rest is helpful.
• Child’s appetite should be respected. There should be no persuasion to eat more.
• Adults should realize that eating habits are taught better by example than by formal explanation.

Points to ponder on

• A child will eat when hungry.
• A healthy child who refuses to eat is not hungry and does not need food at that particular time.
• A healthy child will not starve to death through stubborn food refusal.