Resolving this tug-of-war situation:
The look of food and its texture. Food may look appetising to you, but yucky to your youngster. One of the vegetables we were served in Malawi was slimy green stuff that looked like algae scooped off the top of a neglected fish pond! Their ‘grilled’ fish was, in my opinion, burnt and the locals couldn’t understand why I left the most ‘delectable bits’ (eyes, head and entrails) untouched on my plate! I also have horrible memories of stodgy, lumpy boarding school porridge, runny eggs and tough, tasteless tripe.
Neophobia is the fear of trying something new. Picky-eaters have ‘food neophobia’. The experts tell us that this is a protective mechanism so that children sass the safety of their food before they eat it – perhaps this is why toddlers ‘kill’ their food before they eat it! Fussy-eaters can be painfully stubborn when it comes to trying new tastes and textures.
Parents learn by trial and error what their children like and don’t like – especially when it comes to food. Sweet, savoury, soft, firm, crunchy, sour? In time children learn to eat what’s on their plate, but some are more than cautious. They’re meticulous.
Children who are super-sensitive (called sensory integration problems) are likely to respond negatively to sensory input (sound, smell, taste, touch, bright lights and sunshine). Being super-sensitive to some (or all of their senses) can make these children irritable, tearful, impatient and hyperactive – often misdiagnosed as ADD (attention deficit disorder) – that manifests at meal times.
Medical problems can turn children into fussy eaters. Mouth ulcers burn, tooth decay causes cavities and tooth sensitivity. Children may be afraid to say anything about this because they’re terrified of the dentist (who isn’t?) Mouth infections like thrush are very painful. Children who don’t outgrow reflux may have chronic heartburn.
Tips:
• Get your child checked by a doctor or a dentist
• If your child has a favourite (providing it’s nourishing) let him/her eat it every day. Children don’t need variety.
• Some children like to smother their food in tomato sauce. They’ll outgrow this
• Give your child 5 small nourishing meals a day
• Stop all soda’s and fruit-juices loaded with sugar and minimise milk intake – this curbs their appetite
• Eat as a family around the table rather than in front of the TV. Children learn from example
• Experiment with a variety of food – and involve your child with the preparations
• If you’re worried about your child’s social interactive skills, speak to the teacher about occupational therapy.
