Anorexia is the reluctance experienced by the child in oral feeding. For this reason, it becomes difficult for the child to receive adequate and balanced nutrition and may cause some diseases and special conditions to occur.
The reason why some children have an appetite and some children have no appetite may be due to many reasons. One of the factors that make a child have an appetite or lack of appetite is what they experience in their inner world. An emotion such as anxiety, sadness, hatred or jealousy settled in the child's subconscious can cut off his or her appetite. For this reason, while it is first investigated whether a child with anorexia has an organic disorder, it should also be investigated whether he has psychological conflicts or an emotional problem. Meanwhile, it should be considered that children may have problems because they cannot get good food, and they may also have a lack of appetite because they have problems. Briefly, if we talk about the causes of anorexia under 3 main headings:
Psychological Causes
Anorexia in children usually occurs due to psychological reasons. Because nutrition is one of the tools through which the child can best express his wishes to his parents. Refusal of food by the child is a powerful weapon used against the parents. Continuation of negative eating behavior between the family and the child causes problems that can even lead to mood disorders. Nightmares occur during meal times, and the child and the family fight, so to speak. Children usually win the war.
Diseases
Such as anemia, intestinal parasites, infectious diseases, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, congenital heart diseases, food poisoning. Diseases may show symptoms such as loss of appetite before they are diagnosed. If you have noticed that your child has suddenly lost his appetite, have his health checked without delay.
Special Situations
Teething period, house change, weather change due to moving, leaving home due to holiday. Reasons such as moving away, separation from mother or father (may also be due to work) may cause a temporary decrease in appetite. As you get used to the new situation, loss of appetite disappears in a short time.
Loss of appetite m Or Is It a Case of the Family Wanting Him to Eat Too Much?
Parents, especially mothers, may decide that their children "have no appetite" if they do not consume the amount of food they deem appropriate. What is important here is to investigate whether this complaint expressed by the parents exists. The best method to use for this purpose is to check whether the child continues to grow within healthy limits. If any problem or retardation in growth is detected in a child with anorexia, the situation needs to be further investigated, emphasized and treated. Although growth retardation is a health problem that should be emphasized, negative psychological effects are also observed on children at later ages.
Lack of appetite is one of the problems most frequently mentioned by parents in the young age group. The most important thing parents need to know about appetite is that children show individual differences. For this reason, looking at other children and comparing their eating behavior with your own child's eating may cause you to think that your child eats less.
When parents state that the child also has anorexia problem; First of all, their nutritional habits and communication within the family should be discussed and solutions should be sought together.
The most important and common cause in children's age groups is the damaged parent-child relationship and the adoption of wrong behavioral models. Parents should first examine their own behavior and reactions and adopt the right models.
When should a doctor be consulted for a child with no appetite?
If the lack of appetite lasts for more than a month, the child will lose weight. If the patient loses weight, has not gained weight in the last 3-6 months, does not grow taller or grows insufficiently, has symptoms of illness, or coughs up and vomits food, a specialist should be consulted. In addition, if there is weight loss, fever, pain, difficulty in swallowing, abdominal pain, frequent fevers, recurrent cough, diarrhea, constipation, the child should be evaluated by a specialist.
What can be done when the child does not want to eat?
-When the child does not want to eat, the parents respond emotionally or emotionally. He/she should not show exaggerated reactions in action. Therefore, the child should not learn that he/she attracts the attention of the parents. As a parent, you should be determined and careful and not let this situation turn into a wrong behavior model.
-An appropriate-reasonable time should be determined for each meal. Eating should be stopped at the end of the period.
-Conversation should be had at the table and the child should be included in this.
-Slight and reasonable portions should always be given. Foods he has never consumed should be started with small portions, and foods he has never consumed should be presented in different ways.
-His behavior at the table should be praised frequently.
-The intake of "snacks, junk food" should be regulated and limited.
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