Dealing with Toddler Food Refusal; What to Do when Your Child is a Fussy Eater

Toddler food refusal can be a huge cause for concern. My son is a very fussy eater and here is what I have learned about how to manage a food refusal in a toddler.

What is toddler food refusal?

My son has been a fussy eater from day one. Getting him to eat has been a real struggle and he is small and skinny. We have taken him to the doctor many times, and when he was one he was classified as borderline 'failure to thrive'. This really bothered me at the time not only because I was so worried about my son, but also because 'failure to thrive' is often associated with poor parenting. At the time I didn't realise that fussy eating is actually quite common and there are things you can do to help. Since then my son's weight has improved but getting him to eat can still be a struggle.

Is toddler food refusal dangerous?

The information that I have discovered by speaking to doctors and searching the web seems to suggest that it can be dangerous in a minority of cases. Apparently up to forty percent of pre-school children have problems with food but only a small number of these needs any type of medical intervention. The most important advice is to seek medical advice before malnutrition becomes a problem.

What causes toddler food refusal?

There seems to be no clear answer to this, but it seems to be a normal stage of development for some pre-school children. There has been some evidence to suggest that some toddlers may be exhibiting early stages of anorexia.

Tips for dealing with toddler food refusal

- It is important to not become too anxious around toddler who is refusing food. My wife finds this difficult because she feels so desperate when she wants him to eat. If you appear too anxious it can actually make the problem worse. Trying to force a child to eat is a bad idea.

- It is important to not rush toddlers when they are eating because some of them are naturally slow eaters. On the other hand it is recommended that you allow meal times to go longer than twenty-five minutes.

- It is important that parents eat with their child. Kids like to copy their parents at meal time especially when it is food they have never eating before. It is also a good idea to offer praise and encouragement when they eat well. Arranging for your child to eat with other toddlers now and again is a great idea.

- It is suggested that meal times should be fun and relaxed. Toddlers find it hard to concentrate on more than one thing at once so the television should be turned off. Finger food apparently works really well with some children, but my son seems to enjoy using a spoon for everything. It is important that you don't make your child feel pressured to eat.

- It is suggested that parents have a regular routine for meal times because toddlers like routine. This certainly makes sense to me because a change in my son's routine can knock him off kilter for days after.

- Another useful suggestion is to allow your child to help in the food selection and food preparation. This can increase their interest in food and capture their imagination.

What to do if toddler food refusal continues?

The fact is that food refusal can lead to big problems for a child's health. It is important to get the best medical advice if it continues for any length of time. My wife is constantly worried about my son's weight, but the fact that he is so active and reaching his developmental milestones reassures me. I think the fact that we both approach the problem differently means we have all the bases covered.

Sources

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/nutrition/howtocopefeedingproblems/

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/FoodRefusal.htm

http://www.wholesometoddlerfood.com/pickyeater.htm