What to do if the child does not want to eat? Causes of poor appetite in children and ways to improve it

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The problem of poor appetite worries many parents. After all, when a child eats the prescribed portion, it gives mom pleasure. If this does not happen, then the parents begin to persuade the baby to finish eating, asking them to eat a few more spoons.

When a child constantly refuses to eat, then over time he may feel weak, gain weight poorly and get sick. Persuasion and coercion usually not only do not help, but also cause fear in babies before the next meal. What to do if the child does not want to eat? The article will talk about ways and methods to improve appetite.

Why the child does not want to eat

Sometimes lack of appetite may be due to the subjective opinion of parents. For example, a one-year-old baby eats 100 g of porridge, a slice of banana, a few crackers. In this case, the mother has high requirements for the amount of food consumed. If there are children in her environment who have an increased appetite, thendon't just focus on them. All babies develop individually, so not everyone can eat like that.

The reasons for poor appetite in a child can be different. It depends on many factors influencing this process.

What to do if the child does not want to eat? Lack of appetite can cause any hidden disease. There are several pathologies, one of the symptoms of which is unwillingness to eat. Therefore, parents should show the baby to the pediatrician and gastroenterologist.

Moms ask what to do if the child does not want to eat. The reason for the lack of appetite may be a pathology of a psychological nature. This sometimes happens when the familiar environment changes. Some children begin to refuse food when a brother or sister appears in the family. They also react sharply to quarrels of their parents.

Some children begin to refuse their usual food, because it has become boring to them. It is also possible that the child simply does not have an appetite, because this happens even in an adult. However, if the refusal to eat is delayed, then parents should seek the advice of a pediatrician.

How much should a he althy child eat

Typically, pediatricians consider weight and height for children of the appropriate age, as well as the average daily intake of food, to determine the amount of food. All of these data are averages, so parents don't need to worry too much about this.

Many mothers wonder why the child has no appetite. After all, from thisdepends on his he alth. If the child eats little, but gains weight, and also develops normally physically and psychologically, then parents do not need to worry.

The main reason that determines the amount and frequency of food is appetite. It depends on several factors:

• metabolism feature;
• intensity of hormone production;
• energy expenditure level.

Every child has a different metabolism. Some children eat little food but gain weight normally, and thin children may eat large portions of food. The speed and ability to assimilate nutrients largely depends on metabolism.

The production of hormones is also individual for each child. It is especially intense in the one-year-old and in adolescence. In summer, these processes increase, so more food is required. And in winter, on the contrary, you need less food.

The level of energy expenditure is determined not only by maintaining the pace of normal development and growth, but also by physical activity. An important point of this process is the preservation of body temperature. The more actively the baby spends energy, the stronger his appetite will be.

Should I force the baby

Parents are often interested in how to react and what to do if the child does not want to eat. There are several ways to help him with this. Forcing a child is the wrong strategy. Food should bring joy and satiety to the child.

If the parents put a plate of food in front of the baby, and he pushes it away, then you need to calmlysit next to it and then remove it. You should not give something to the child until the next meal. This also applies to fruits, juices and sweets.

Usually, by the next meal, the baby will work up an appetite and eat well. Moms should not be afraid that something will happen to him if he does not have lunch.

Sometimes children cannot eat immediately after active and outdoor games. An overexcited nervous system simply does not allow them to feel hunger. Parents need to wait a bit, but it is better to scold or read an interesting book.

How to improve your child's appetite

With all their desire, parents will not be able to influence the metabolism and the intensity of hormone production in any way, because the decisive factor is the increase in energy costs.

If a he althy child refuses to eat, then it is necessary to reconsider his daily routine. To do this, you need to change the ratio of physical and mental stress.

The apartment must maintain a certain temperature, no more than 22 degrees Celsius. The child should not be wrapped in several layers of clothing, thus trying to protect against hypothermia. If the baby does not feel cold, then he can get sick from the first draft. Also, he will not learn to regulate body temperature, does not expend energy to maintain it. Hardening procedures will have a positive effect not only on immunity, but also improve appetite.

The baby's daily routine should include not only educational games, but also active ones. Especially useful at this time is onfresh air. The more actively the baby moves, the better his appetite will be.

In some cases, mothers take extreme measures and ask the pediatrician to prescribe drugs to increase appetite in children. It can be "Glycine", enzymes ("Creon"), "Elkar", "Lysine". However, parents should not rush, perhaps it will be possible to improve appetite in other ways, avoiding medication.

How to properly feed your baby

Many parents wonder what to do if the child does not want to eat. The most important rule is to feed the baby when he is really hungry. You can't force yourself to eat under any circumstances. This can be bad for the baby's he alth.

When a baby is hungry, his entire digestive system is getting ready to eat. Saliva and gastric juices are secreted.

If the food enters the body, which is not ready for its use, then most of it is not digested to the end and is not absorbed. There will be no benefit from such feeding.

No need to beg your baby to eat some food, it will only make the parents and the child nervous. Also, do not entertain him with reading books or watching TV. It is necessary to explain that they eat at the table and play elsewhere.

Sometimes babies get naughty while eating so that later they can get sweets or fruits. Parents should stop this practice. The child should eat regular food first, and then treats.

There is also an inverse"side" of the problem, when the child constantly wants to eat, what to do in this case. If the baby is he althy, and he does not have any diseases and is overweight, then he can slightly increase the portion. Perhaps this phenomenon is due to the change of the season, and after a while he will eat as usual.

Should I follow the regime of the day

Many mothers are concerned and ask how to improve their child's appetite. For this, the correct daily routine is also important. However, you need to take into account the characteristics of the body of the baby. If a child sits over a plate of food for a long time in the morning, it may be best to give him a glass of milk. And breakfast is postponed to a later time.

If a trip is planned, then you can take food for the baby with you. Sometimes getting up earlier can help if that suits the child.

Another advantage of the mode is that mom will always know how much and what the baby ate. But for it to work, you should not snack between main meals.

For young children, you can enter 5 meals a day. Portions should be small. It should be borne in mind that until the stomach is freed from food, the baby will not have an appetite.

You need to teach the child to eat on their own

In some families, the baby's meal turns into a performance. Sometimes not only grandparents, but also pets are involved in this process. This leads to the development of incorrect food reflexes in the child and develops capriciousness when takingfood.

Don't entertain the baby while eating, it is best to involve him in the table setting and in the process of preparing dinner. He will definitely try to eat the dish they made with mom.

Some parents, fearing that the child will stain the clothes, feed him themselves. And when he grows up, it turns out that he does not know how to use a spoon and fork.

Therefore, it is best to teach the baby to eat on his own. Laundering clothes or cleaning the kitchen is easy, and he really needs the necessary skills.

What to do if the baby prefers certain foods

Many parents don't know how to make a child's appetite. Sometimes this process can be influenced by the fact that the baby prefers certain foods. Some of them eat one or two meals. In this situation, it is better for parents not to argue with the baby, but to feed them with their favorite food. However, you should not give in large quantities, so as not to cause allergies or other problems.

After a while, mom can put other food on the table in small plates. She needs to be attractive. Many children who do not eat meat at all can eat dumplings with pleasure. And kids who cannot tolerate vegetables drink vegetable juices with pleasure. This is where moms can use some tricks.

How to "disguise" unloved food

How to increase a child's appetite and teach him to eat unloved food? Mom can use some tricks and put such a product in her favorite dish.

If children refuse meat, then you can pass it through a blender or meat grinder. Then mom can make a pie with delicious filling or dumplings from it.

You can also make pate by adding liver, chicken or beef, pumpkin and carrots. Thanks to the taste of vegetables, such a dish may appeal to a child.

Fish has many useful properties, but not all children love it. Mom can cook minced fish and wrap pancakes with it. Also, the fish turns out delicious if you bake it in a sauce.

Many children refuse vegetables because they are not as colorful and tasty as fruits. Mom can beautifully arrange them on a plate in the form of figures of mushrooms, flowers and more.

How to feed a baby if he is sick

If it's hot outside or the child is sick, his appetite will worsen even more. If the baby has a fever, he will refuse to eat until his condition improves. Most of all he needs to drink plenty of water. The child can drink liquids through a straw.

When the temperature drops, the mother can offer the baby his favorite food. In the heat, children have practically no appetite, so a hot dish is not recommended. You can cook okroshka for a child. Or give him what he loves.

After a nap, when it gets cooler outside, the baby will be able to eat well.

Conclusion

Many parents face the problem of poor appetite. If athis situation is not associated with any disease, then gradually everything is getting better. The child grows, over time he has more favorite foods, and his physical activity increases. In this situation, the correct behavior of parents is very important to help the baby overcome the difficult period.