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| Help! My Child Is A Picky Eater |
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Do the following statements sound familiar to you?
"My daughter can finish a burger and some fries at the fast food place in a jiffy, but only picks at her rice at home."
"He takes 1 hour to finish 2 tablespoons of noodles. It's a wonder he survives."
"Carrots, carrots and carrots, that's all my daughter wants to eat these days."
If any of the above statements sound familiar, then welcome to the world of fussy-eaters.
As a loving parent, it is natural to get caught up in a whole mix of feelings when your child is not eating well. Firstly, you may feel worried that your child is not getting enough nutrition for his growth and development. You may feel discouraged as you tried so hard but got so little response from your little one. You may even start to get angry with him for not appreciating your efforts to create wholesome and nutritious meals. All these feelings, if not kept in check, can aggravate the situation. So, let us look at the reasons for a child being a fussy eater.
There are many reasons for food refusal in a child. The causes may be medical in nature if the child was born premature and had problems sucking and swallowing at birth. However, that only affects a small percentage of fussy eaters. The majority are going through 'food fads' or 'food refusal' stages, which may be a way of asserting independence as the child grows up. Alternatively, food refusal may be a form of manipulative behaviour displayed by a child as a way of getting attention from his caregiver. However, what is important is to understand that food refusal is a phase which will pass with time. Nevertheless, until it does, here are some ways to deal with it. | |
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| The 10 Commandments Of Dealing With A Fussy Eater |
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Fussy eaters do not starve. If he does not eat enough food today, he will balance out his intake over the next few days. |
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Never, never, never force-feed a child as it does not work. Always use gentle encouragement instead. |
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Be realistic about the amount of food he can eat at one time. Start with small portions and refill his plate on request. |
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Children tend to be 'grazers'. Small frequent snacks may be the way to go rather than 3 main meals a day. Choose healthy snacks like bread, plain biscuits, cheese, fruits or a hard-boiled egg in between meals. |
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Vary the texture, add garnishing to stir interest in your child. |
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Children like to feel important and 'grown-up' by participating in food selection and preparation. They enjoy the experience of choosing the type of food and amount to eat. Seek their opinion rather than just serve food to them. |
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Encourage self-feeding, frightening as it may sound, conjuring up images of spillage and breaking crockery! Children like to feel part of the meal process. Use only plastic ware! |
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Always use simple cooking methods so that you will not wind up feeling frustrated at your child for not appreciating your time spent in the kitchen to create his meals. |
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Limit meal times to 20 minutes. Remove his food from the table after that and do not show signs of anger or offer milk or potato chips immediately! |
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Ensure your child has interaction with other children such as at play school so that with time and pressure from his peers, your child will eventually adopt good eating habits. | | |
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| Dealing With Specific Food Fads |
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1. "My child refuses milk."
First, try flavoured milk or milkshakes as children often prefer these alternatives to milk. Next, try dairy foods such as cheese, ice-cream and yogurt. Foods like ikan bilis, beans and beancurd are good sources of calcium too. |
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2. "My child refuses vegetables."
Vegetables may smell stronger if overcooked, especially green leafy ones. Try peas, corn, carrots, and potatoes instead. Or give some fruit juice instead (keeping to 100ml per day). |
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3. "My child refuses meat."
Meat can be disguised in less recognisable forms such as chicken nuggets, fish finger, fish balls, fish cakes and minced meat which may be more acceptable to our child. Remember to finely cut the meat for easy chewing. |
| With these tips at hand, you will be ready to face your fussy eater. Remember, the average weight gain for a child is 6.5kg in the first year of life and 2 - 3 kg every year after that. As long as your child is active, with boundless energy and growing well, there is no need to be overly concerned. | |
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