know the reason why your child (2 to 6 year) is not eating; How to help them eat more

My child is not eating (Age 2 to 6 year) 

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This is the most common problem asked in my opd. Maximum children of this age are fussy eaters. Sometimes, they won't eat and sometimes they will eat the whole day. 

Remember....

🔹 This is normal and you are not only 1 to have this problem 

🔹 How much your child eats is different from what other child eats

🔹  Refusing food is based on color and texture 

🔹 Want to eat only few type of recipe 

🔹 Avoid new food 

🔹 Wants to eat independently 

🔹 Sometimes lose interest in a food they used to 

In short... Very difficult to predict 

🔴 Is my child eating enough? 

If you believe in nature rules then your child is eating. Why can we make a such statements..... 

🔹 If a person don't get require quantity of food then that person will beg or steal the money or do anything to fulfill require quantity of food. This rule is applicable to everyone in this world thus your child is eating. 

🔹 If you start eating half of the required amount of food, will you be active? Answer is No. If your child is active and playful, it means that she is eating the required amount of food. Children of this age group are perfect at judging how much food they need. That's why obesity is very less in this age group. 

🔹 Will you eat according to wish of other person? Answer is No then why your child will eat according to your wish. It means that your child is eating - it may not be according to your expected quantity. 

In short... If your child is active and playful, don't worry that child is not eating. 

🔴 When should I worry about fussy eating? 

If your child is having following problems then you should worry even your child is active and playful 

🔹 If weight gain is less than 1.2kg per year

🔹 If height gain is less than 4cm in a year

🔹 If child is having repeated infection 

🔹 If child is having anaemia or vitamin & mineral deficiency 

🔹 If child is protein energy malnourished 

🔹 If your child is eating only few type of recipe 

In short... Worry about the problem, accept and solve it. 

🔴 Why is my child not eating?

❇️ Child is eating wrong food

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If your child is active and playful then it is time to evaluate what she is eating throughout the day? If she is eating packed food or chocolate then you have to cut down these food so that she can eat well balanced food. These types of food provide energy but cause growth retardation. If your child is eating these types of food along with a proper meal then it will cause obesity. 

In short.... Wrong food is wrong even everyone is eating 

🔳 Solution 

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🔹 Avoid all such food if possible. 

🔹 Provide these Junk food once in a week. This is the best option for parents.

🔹 Before taking firm action, talk to him regarding unhealthy food and take help of teachers or mentors to he listens. 

🔹 Show books or video on YouTube about unhealthy nature of the junk food. 

❇️ Food jag

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If your child is eating the same type of food, it is called a food jag. This can appear as your child is not eating. In fact your child is eating enough to get only a few types of nutrients and energy so she is active and playful. As she is not eating a variety of food, it will cause a few deficiency. One of the main reasons a food jag can develop is you may not follow the rule of rotation.

Remember... Mistakes are meant to be learned, not repeated. 

🔳 Solution 

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🔹 You can offer desired food once in a day for few months. 

🔹  Keep on talking to her for once in a two days and slowly shift to once in a two day. 

🔹 Talk to her regarding benefit of eating variety of food. 

🔹 Let the child see that all senior members of family are eating variety of the food. 

Remember... Your child is not going to starve just because you don't provide her choice of the food. 

❇️ Food aversion 

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🔹 It refers to the refusal to try new food or eat certain food. 

🔹 It usually resolve naturally by the time 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Do not make issue

🔹 Do not bribe or threats to get a child to try eat a food against her wish. 

🔹 Serve the new food alongside the favorite food. 

🔹 Make a new food attractive like heart / triangular shape or mix with his favorite sauce / curd.

🔹 Offer new food lot of times every alternate day before your child will try. 

❇️ Food requirement is less

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Growth of the child slowed from 2 to 6 year thus food requirement. Also the stomach of the child is small so their requirement of the food is also less. 

Remember... You have no control over other people's diet including children. 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Accept the diet of the child if she is active & playful and not having any medical problems.

🔹 As children eat in small quantity, offer 3 meals and 2 snacks. Make sure you're providing fruits, milk (Without biscuits) or Indian snacks like idli rather than fast food during snack time. 

🔹 Offer snacks if the main meal is 3 hour away. 

🔹 Offer variety of food in small portion during a lunch or dinner. Small portion gives her the chance to ask more. 

❇️ Pressurize the child 

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Research shows that children are pressured to eat more or finish the meal are counterproductive. In fact, it will make the child irritable & arrogant and she is more likely to eat poorly and less healthfully. Also, pressurizing children forces some children to eat more and leads to obesity. In other words, the sense of fullness is dulled, which affects the instinct to stop eating. 

In short... A lot of parents will do anything for their kids except let them be themselves 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Don't force your child to eat according to your wish.

🔹 Make meal time a regular family meal time where all members eat together without social media or television. 

🔹 Involve children in purchasing fruits and vegetables. Inform about preparing vegetable purchase by him for the whole family. It motivates children to eat more. 

🔹 If possible, involve the child while preparing food. It motivates children to eat more. 

🔹 As children get older, set a time limit of 20 minutes for finishing meals. If the child hasn't finished the meal, take away the plate and avoid talking or lecture to him.

In short.. Don't try to make your child superman, allow him to grow. 

❇️ Bribe the child 

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If you are giving a bribe to your child so that she will finish the food, it won't work in the long term. In fact,  it will allow your child to eat fast-food as a bribe and reinforce the tendency of the 

blackmailing.

In short... You might bribe your child to eat & study but what next? 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Never use bribe for any activity 

🔹 Provide a positive home environment rather than gadgets for eating independently and in a healthy way. 

▪️ Make a meal time memorable like telling stories 

▪️ Everyone should share their stories and involve the child to put his or her input.

▪️ Avoid stressful discussion during the meal time. 

In short.... Though the bribe small, yet the fault is great 

❇️ Using TV or mobile while eating 

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If you are using gadgets to help your child eat, they may be working against you rather than for you. If your child is eating in front of TV or mobile, it will have a negative impact on their eating like.... 

▪️ Leads to addiction 

▪️ Eating too less or more 

▪️ Eating time is increasing 

▪️ Not chewing properly 

▪️ Lack of interaction with family members 

Remember... Don't make your child the slave of your smartphone. 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Lead by example as children learn by watching you. So all senior members should avoid TV or mobile. 

🔹 Reward the kid by giving points like finishing a meal in 20 minutes is equal to 5 points. Once 100 points are collected, you can promise to spend time with her in the garden. 

In short... Stop distracting your child by mobile that has nothing to do with eating. 

❇️ Too tired to eat

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Few children are busy with playing throughout the day so they skip dinner for a few times. Remember, children are good at making the difference in food consumption by eating more in breakfast or lunch 

In short... Always judge your child appetite over a week, rather than over a single day. 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Establish the routine as children follow when things are the same. 

🔹 If the child is playing, 15 minutes before meal time- inform her regarding routine meal time. 

🔹 Be flexible in approach, if the child is enjoying playing. 

Remember... Stay committed to your decision but stay flexible in approach 

❇️ Overprotective parenting 

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Some parents want to provide all the best possible so they feed the child by their own hand. It not only makes the child dependent or slow the process of eating, it also provides the child to blackmail their parents for eating. 

Remember... Don't handicap children by providing everything. 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Make a child independent. Allow your child to eat on their own even if you think that they are a small kid or not eating enough.

🔹 Allow them to make decisions. If you have made a variety of dishes or went to a hotel, encourage them to make their own decisions. 

In short... Let the child learn and unlearn on their own. 

❇️ Super sensitive to taste & texture 

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Some children are super sensitive to few tastes, particularly bitter, spicy or sour flavors. Similarly,  some children refuse to eat solid food. Having sensitivity to certain food tastes or appearances can limit the variety of the food, leading to poor eating and nutrition. 

In short... Respect the feeling of the child 

🔳 Solution 

🔹 Introduce slowly...

▪️ Let them smell the cooked food as the rest of the members are eating. 

▪️After few days, let them touch the food next time 

▪️ After a few days, encourage him to take a bite. 

🔹 Mix a small quantity of food with his favorite food like putting a few pieces of spinach in his or her favorite Dal. 

🔹 If your child wants to eat in liquid form, try to make little bit semisolid.

In short... Face the problem with positive attitude 

❇️ Medical 

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🔹 Chronic illness or repeated illness

🔹 Common abdominal problems 

Remember... Always consult a pediatrician on your own.

🙏🏻🙏🏻 If you like this blog, please share with other mothers and friends 

Remember..... Gaining knowledge is first step to wisdom and sharing it is first step to humanity 

Dr Ashish Agrawal, Paediatrician and expert in child behavior, education and developmental problems.

Ph: 8888126037, 7057551985

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