Fussy eaters

A child’s appetite is influenced by their growth cycle.

If they seem not to be eating enough but if they are still happy, growing and generally appear healthy then there is normally no need for immediate stress.

Even though your child may not be eating as well rounded a diet as you would like, as long as your child is growing normally and has a normal energy level, there is generally not too much to worry about.

Most children do not on average eat a balanced diet each and every day.

Having said that, the ideal is to provide as much of their daily nutritional requirements as possible.

Over the course of a week a child will generally have overall a diet that is well balanced.

Children can become very fussy eaters. This can happen overnight.

Sometimes a child won’t eat the foods they loved yesterday or become very picky eaters. This is completely normal and a part of their development.

Remaining aware of our child’s eating habits is important. Having realistic expectations is also vital.

Often we can become concerned if we think they aren’t eating enough. This is natural and most parents do at some point during their child’s life.

Becoming stressed about their eating sometimes can lead to more issues and tricky situations such as inadvertently developing bad eating habits and associations to food; the child developing a ‘power’ in their mealtimes and what and how much they eat. Sometimes turning up their nose or a flat refusal.

If you are concerned track what they are eating in a daily food diary.

A food diary is good because:

1. It shows just how much they do or do not eat. Sometimes you may be surprised as they may not seem to eat much at mealtimes but actually may snack a lot during the day so still are getting enough nutrients.

2. It is a great help for when you decide to take your child to the doctor if you are still concerned about their eating once you establish exactly what they are or are not eating in a day. The entries provide a detailed list of foods and amounts for the doctor to be able to make a informed decision when discussing the potential course of action.

For a child deciding which foods to eat and how much (within reason) can be a part of asserting their independence about types of food quantities and choices. This can be quite worrying for the adults but for the child is it a part of their growth and development.

• A child doesn’t have to eat the same amount of food each day. They will eat more when they are going through a growth spurt or if they have been more active than usual.
• A child will eat less if they are tired, have had snacks close to meals or have not used a lot of energy that day.
• They will eat less if they’ve filled up on high energy or sugary food and drinks.
• Children need to enjoy eating. It should be a pleasant experience. It should be not rushed or forced. They should not eat to please others or gain attention.
• It should not become a struggle or issue of how much or how little they eat.
• Varying the food intake is important to ensure they receive enough nutrients. This also ensures the menu doesn’t become ‘stale’.
• New foods sometimes need to be presented up to 8 or 9 times in a short period, before a child will decide if they like it or not.
• Each child is different and not all need to eat the exact amount recommended each day.
• Don’t bribe or reward for desired behaviours.
• Model the foods and eating habits you desire.
• Never force a child to eat or try a food.
• Set a meal time limit of 20 minutes. Children have short attention spans.
• Make healthy foods fun.
• Involve the child in meal planning and preparation.
• Reward and acknowledge their efforts.
• Limit mealtime conversation to positive and pleasant topics.
• Avoid discussing/ commenting on your child’s poor eating habits or manners while at the table.
• Limit eating and drinking to the table or high chair.
• Limit snacks to two nutritious snacks each day. Some children do better on the grazing system of eating.
• Limit distractions such as the TV, IPad, etc.
• Prepare only one meal for your child.
• Pleasant and happy environments fostering a good place interact will promote eating and good eating habits.
• Use the try it once method. If they are being troublesome for the type of food or a certain food then a good way to get them to try it is to use the try it once method. This promotes trying new foods before dismissing them.
• Keep offering previously offered food. A new food may need to be introduced several times before a child will take to it.
• No junk food. This may sound self explanatory, however, we are talking even little treats as well. If you are concerned about what your child is eating limit the foods they eat to only healthy ones to ensure they are getting the right nutrients.
• Start with smaller portions. If you place smaller portions on their plate then they may not feel so overwhelmed. You can increase the portions as time goes on. Smaller portion sizes allow the child to feel success at eating.
• You could try reverse psychology. This has a limited shelf life really as once you have done this it is not really something that can be used too many times again as the child will possibly see the ploy here. Here is an example ” Ohh, that’s mummy’s favourite. I really love that, don’t eat it all”.