Poor Eating/Food Refusal
Many young children go through a phase of faddish eating when they limit the foods they are prepared to eat. This is rarely longlasting and if the child is growing appropriately it is unlikely that this is significant.
Often parents expectations of their child's weight gain and food requirements are unrealistic.
On average a child gains about 6kg (15lbs) in the first year of life. Over the following second, third and fourth year the average weight gain is only 2kg (5lbs) The rapid growth and constant increases in the demand for food does not continue as it did in the first year. It is important to discover what the child is actually eating. Taking a detailed food diary can be very revealing. Most children will take enough food to sustain their growth and energy expenditure and this is apparent when the diary is reviewed.
Many children prefer drinking to eating and will readily fill themselves up with drinks. It can be helpful to avoid offering drinks an hour before mealtimes and offer a drink, in a cup, after a meal. Three cups of milk a day plus some on cereal is ample.
A cup of milk and a packet of crisps mid morning will stop most toddlers eating lunch. It would be better to offer a cup of juice and a plain biscuit or half a banana.
No healthy child offered appropriate food at mealtimes will starve. Battles over meals should be avoided, mealtimes should be happy social occasions where there are minimal distractions.
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