Loss of appetite in children is one of the most common problems. While mothers want to feed their children better, they may face challenging situations. Expert Dietitian İpek Ağaca Özger offers 15 solutions to anorexia in children. You should definitely read it to raise happier and healthier children.
- What causes loss of appetite in children?
Loss of appetite in children is an important problem that parents often encounter. It is very important to first determine the cause of anorexia, which can be caused by physical problems as well as psychological problems. Expert Dietician İpek Ağaca Özger says, "If the child does not have any discomfort after the examinations, this problem can be overcome by giving the right foods at the right time.
Anorexia in children, which usually manifests itself in the form of picky eating or refusal of food, can also be caused by the child being overactive or withdrawn. Sometimes it is actually just a delusion of the parents. So it is necessary to make sure that the child really has no appetite and is not eating enough.
Anorexia varies according to the age and personal characteristics of the child. Factors such as the child's reaction to nutrition, eating habits and the mother's approach are very important. Especially the mistakes made by parents in terms of nutrition trigger anorexia in children.
- Are there psychological causes of anorexia?
Approaches such as pressuring, punishing and being overly insistent can make the child reactive to feeding. Therefore, the right approach to children is an important step in overcoming anorexia.
Another step is when and what to feed. You can solve this problem with measures such as creating variety in foods, setting the feeding time correctly, and not giving mixed flavors. Expert dietician İpek Ağca Özger offers 15 suggestions to help overcome the problem of loss of appetite in children. Here are Özger's recommendations:
1.) Convince the child that nutrition is really important. Make the childuza, understand the importance of nutritionTell stories, fairy tales; give him/her examples. Make him/her believe how important nutrition is for human health.
2.) Make your child love nutrition. Make your child feel that feeding is fun. Make him/her eat by laughing and playing. While he/she is eating.Do not interfere with your child, let him/her spill food as he/she wants.
3.) Make food attractive for your child. A slice of bread cut in the shape of a teddy bear and placed on your child's plate, a plate of pasta with a smiley face, various vegetables arranged in the shape of a picture on a plate, meatballs shaped like marbles, egg rings shaped like flowers... Make food appealing to your child. It's up to your imagination, but a tip is that you will be more successful if you use objects that your child likes, such as toys and cartoon characters.
4.) Don't force your child to eat, don't insist. Do not force your child to eat! If you force your child to eat, they may avoid eating even more. This behavior can also become a habit.
5.) Use the foods he/she likes in his/her diet and get him/her used to the foods he/she does not like. First, identify healthy foods that your child likes to eat. Mix these foods with a small amount of important nutrients that your child does not like to consume, but should consume, and let your child eat them (Do not make this mixture every time. Sometimes give the food that your child likes alone). Over time, continue to increase the amount of food you mix and make your child consume it. After a certain period of time, you can start giving a small amount of the food that you have mixed with the food that your child likes on its own. This food will no longer be contrary to your child's taste and he/she will be able to consume it easily. (Make sure that the food you mix tastes good and is compatible with the other food you mix).
6.) Ensure that drinks are not consumed before meals. Many children get hungry and want a drink before mealtime. As a result, they do not want to eat because their stomach is full and they feel full. Therefore, limit your child's fluid intake up to 1 hour before and during meals. Try not to put drinks on the table.
7.) Make sure that the food you give your child does not have mixed flavors. Your child will not want to consume a slurry of many foods. Would you? Even if all of these foods are nutritious, they are unappealing to eat and your child may be uncomfortable with the complex taste of the food. For this reason, try to get your child to consume foods on their own, i.e. in different flavors. Your child's palate will develop in this way and he or she will have no difficulty in the future.
8.) Create variety in the food your child eats. Don't put the same foods in front of your child too often. If you want to make your child consume a food that has a high nutritional value and that your child likes, create different meals by using different preparation and cooking methods. For example, create alternatives such as meatballs with tomato paste one day, juicy meatballs another day, meatballs with potatoes, meatballs with vegetables, meatballs with yogurt.
9.) Choose mealtimes well. Choose mealtimes when your child is more cheerful and enjoyable, not when he/she is sleepless and restless. When your child eats at the right times, it creates a more enjoyable and healthy eating pattern.
10.) Adjust his/her portions well. Remember that he/she is a child, his/her needs are much smaller than yours, and put as much food on his/her plate as he/she can consume. Seek the help of a dietitian and determine your child's needs together. Too much food may frighten your child and you may have the psychology of "he/she did not finish what was on his/her plate again" because he/she cannot eat it all. Remove excess portions as much as possible.
11.) Protect your child from unhealthy snacks. Most children; wafer, chocolate, cake, candy, sugar, chipss, etc., which are very unhealthy. These foods are very unhealthy and your child will not want to eat after consuming them.
12.) Do not remind him/her often of a food he/she does not like.
13.) Let him/her help you in the kitchen. Let your child help you when you are cooking or preparing food. At the table, praise him for his help. He will be eager to eat the food prepared with his help.
14.) Give different names to food. You can give the food funny and interesting names. This will arouse curiosity in your child and his/her interest in food will increase. Keep him/her away from activities that will distract him/her while eating.
15.) Do not feed your child in front of a favorite cartoon. Your child may not realize that he/she is eating and may refuse to eat because he/she may want to pay full attention to the cartoon.
