Picky eater

- picky eating does not necessarily lead to poor nutrition and growth
- feeding disorders (in childhood) are more serious and may involve extreme weight loss or failure to meet expected growth potential
- just part and parcel of growing up but sometimes could indicate a more serious underlying problem: an eating disorder

Signs to look out for
- besides growth deficits, other signs include the child's incessant complaints about the food served
- look out for child's increasing susceptibility to illnesses, if he/she is not performing well in school, is disinterested in playing or interacting with other children and/or has adverse interactions with fellow family members.
- children are usually able to take normal table foods by the age of 15 mth

Is child at risk
- all children have a tendency to feel some anxiety when presented with a new food called neo-phobia
- done without any stress or pressure to eat and the food are offered many times (10-20), the child will learn to eat that food
- overly anxious parents may adopt coercive practices like forced feeding and punishment or turn to bribery


How to avoid this
- parent's job is to provide nutritionally balanced food at appropriate time intervals in a location of their choice
- the child decides how much to eat, not the parents
- parents remain calm and matter of fact about their child's eating
- children will learn that it is good to eat what is offered when it is offered after they refuse food at a meal and have to wait till the next meal to eat
- if they're offered juice, milk or snack foods in between meals, they learn that they can have what they want when they want it, and will have little motivation to be healthy eaters

Simple behaviour techniques in managing disorders
- avoid distraction during mealtimes
- adopt a neutral attitude by not pressuring the child to eat
- encourage appetite by limiting or eliminating snacking and balancing portion sizes
- limit duration of meals (max 25-30min per meal)
- provide age-appropriate foods
- introduce new kinds of food gradually and regularly without pressure to try them
- encourage the child to eat independently
- allow the child to "get messy" when eating, and
- refrain from using coercion and punishment

In summary
- important not to go overboard with trying to correct an eating disorder that may not even be there
- make sure there is a genuine problem first before changing behaviours and habits
- severe cases may require the help of paediatricians, gastroenterologists, nutritionists, psychologists and experts in therapeutic feeding and behaviour modification
- complete and balanced nutritional supplements help to ensure optimal growth and development of picky eaters
- knowing the child is receiving adequate nutrition reduces parents' anxiety