| Check-Up: Picky Eating is Normal—To a Point |
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So you think you have a picky eater? Consider the child who eats just one food — a certain fast-food brand of fried chicken nuggets, perhaps — or who always orders sauce on the side. Some children will eat only certain types of food. Others seem to eat very little. While a lot of young children are finicky about food, they need help when they won’t eat the amount or variety required to keep up their nutritional status. The good news is they’re not alone. As many as one in four kids has an eating problem in early childhood, and most outgrow that “peanut butter only” phase. However, 1 to 2 percent need professional aid. Well-meaning parents can promote bad behaviors by, for example, letting kids end a meal by throwing a fit. Parents can help in a number of ways. They can repeatedly expose children to new foods and set a good example. With many children, making sure that they have a variety of different foods on their plate helps. Also important is for parents to practice what they preach. You can’t expect your child to try something new if it’s something you won’t eat yourself. Here are some tips to help convert the picky eater in your home.
Many kids will give up tantrums if they don’t receive attention for them. The key is to remain consistent in ignoring the tantrums.
Talk to your child’s doctor if your child’s nutritional intake is continually under par, meal time disruptions have worsened for months, progress has stalled, or you’re overwhelmed. |
According to Carolyn Ievers-Landis, PhD, a clinical psychologist at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, picky eating is normal in young children.