My Child Won't Eat and is Too Picky. What Can Be Done?

There are many younger children who simply don't do well with food. They are picky and fuss when confronted with things they don't like. They might only eat a certain type of food again and again. They might give up eating, only eating a few bites here and there, making you concerned for your child's health. Whatever the case is, these are serious problems that need to be addressed. Find out a few things you can do to help the situation.

It's not best to self diagnose because you aren't the expert. For your child's safety, it's a good idea to take him or her to your doctor. There are sometimes serious problems that are the source of your child not eating that need to be taken care of medically. Once you have confirmed that this isn't the case with your child, these other methods can be worked on.

Start off by trying to feed your child a variety of foods. Have a few bites of new things they can try. Make sure it's a tiny portion. Sometimes the child might not like what has been presented so far but will like new options. The more new options your child enjoys, the more diverse their limited diet becomes.

Don't be picky on manners. If your child wants to eat with their fingers, don't scold them to use a fork or spoon. Sometimes the stress of eating causes the child to not want to mess up. Therefore, they choose to avoid the stress by not eating at all. Getting the food into your child is more important than manners.

Never yell or get upset if your child is not eating. The extra stress will make your child want to avoid the situation and associate this stress and anger with food. Make sure you are relaxed to help your child.

Buy drinks that are full of nutrients. Your child might not eat much solid food, but many drinks have fruit, vegetables and vitamins in them and don't taste that bad at all. Find some of these that your child can enjoy throughout the day.

Have your child pick out ingredients and cook with you. The more involved they are in making the meal, the more likely they will choose to eat it.