My child plays while eating, is picky about food, and is disobedient when eating. What should I do?

Author: Huali Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Reviewer: Hao Yan, Chief Physician of Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology

1.Are you also troubled by your child’s picky eating?

The child plays while eating, is always picky about food, and can only eat a few bites when coaxed. Every time it's time to eat, it's like a parent-child "food war". Over time, seeing the child's poor growth and development, parents also feel particularly distressed and troubled.

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2. To solve the problem of picky eating, you need to first understand the reasons why your child is picky about eating.

(1) Irregular development of spleen and stomach

Some children have indigestion because of incomplete development of spleen and stomach function. If they eat too much, or if the meal time and method are not properly arranged, they are likely to have symptoms of indigestion, abdominal distension, and decreased appetite. In such cases, parents can first take their children to the child health clinic for a preliminary investigation to find out the cause.

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(2) Be aware of the effects of zinc deficiency

Children's picky eating, partial eating, and anorexia may also be caused by zinc deficiency, which will affect the growth and development of children. Usually, you need to pay attention to your child's diet, eat small meals frequently, eat more fruits, vegetables, and meat, and combine meat and vegetables to achieve a balanced nutrition.

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(3) Unscientific feeding method

Another reason why children are picky eaters may be that their parents’ feeding methods are not scientific. When children are picky eaters, some parents will choose to feed them some snacks, which will lead to the children developing the habit of eating snacks instead of eating on time. If the picky eating problem is not solved, it may even become more serious. Parents can let their children experience hunger first and then feel full, and do not feed them a lot of high-calorie snacks and drinks between breakfast, lunch and dinner, and insist on scientific feeding.

3. Also pay attention to cultivating good eating habits for children

Children don't like to eat and eat while playing. The root of the problem is that children can't concentrate on eating and are not interested in eating. There are several ways to help solve these problems.

(1) Set a fixed meal time and control meal times

Set a fixed meal time, try to develop the habit of the whole family eating together at the table, and require children to finish their own meals. If the child does not finish, remove the food and do not give any snacks. Over time, the child will develop the habit of eating at regular times and in fixed quantities. Appropriately control the child's meal time, and it is recommended to shorten the meal time to 25 to 30 minutes each time. Parents should stick to the principles and maintain a calm attitude.

(2) Increase the time spent on outdoor exercise

If the child is not hungry, he will not eat. If parents only ask their children to eat, it will only backfire. It is recommended that parents try to increase the amount of activity of their children. When they are really hungry, they will resist eating less. Increase the time of outdoor activities for their children, for example, take them for more jogging, and use hunger to awaken their appetite.

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(3) Let children join in the cooking process

Children are naturally curious. When they enjoy the fruits of their own cooking, their interest in food will be greatly increased, leading to a greater appetite and even willingness to accept food that they normally don’t like. It is recommended that parents take their children to the market to buy vegetables, help carry them home, wash fruits together, etc., and even ask children for their opinions on cooking and ask them to help cook. Not only will children feel more involved, but they will also enjoy eating more because they understand the various characteristics of food.

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(4) Change your daily cooking methods

Parents can improve the cooking methods of ingredients, add the children's favorite colors or favorite cartoons to the food, so that children will have a greater interest in food and develop good eating habits. Buy tableware that children like. Children like to have their own unique things. Buying some tableware with cute patterns for children can increase their desire to eat. If you can choose together with your children, you can achieve better results.

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(5) Parents should set a good example by reducing the amount of food consumed outside of meals

Children have a strong ability to imitate. If parents themselves have bad eating habits or often eat snacks, there is no reason to ask their children to follow the habit of eating on time. Try not to give children junk food such as fast food to prevent children from not being able to eat regular meals due to eating too many snacks.