Nutrition during childhood is important in childhood, as in all ages. But good nutrition does not mean that the child eats a lot or eats certain foods all the time. Good nutrition is essential for children's protection from diseases and their mental and physical development. So, what is this good, healthy diet? Fat, carbohydrate, protein, etc. required in the body. When we consume nutritional elements in a balanced and sufficient amount, we have a healthy diet.
Parents have a great role in teaching children healthy eating habits. The more parents pay attention to what they eat and drink, the more children pay attention to what they eat. However, you can tell your child about the benefits of healthy eating, but it is not right to put constant pressure on this. As I mentioned, if you set an example for your child instead of struggling with his/her eating, you will experience fewer problems with eating.
Eating disorders usually manifest themselves when children are 1-2 years old. If we look at the frequency of eating disorders; While the rate is between 25-45% in healthy children, it is 80% in children with developmental delay. However, serious eating disorders that require intensive treatment have a rate of 3-10%.
The child tries to achieve independence by choosing food or refusing food. At this point, if the caregiver becomes worried and angry, a war begins between the caregiver and the child. This war will cause the child to eat less and, even worse, will be reflected in the child's behavior. Apart from the problems between mother and child, there may be many reasons behind children's eating disorders. The first of these is that traumatization of the mouth, pharynx or esophagus after any surgical procedure or due to food entering the respiratory tract causes the condition we call post-traumatic eating disorder. A second reason is the child's rejecting attitude towards certain tastes, smells or appearance of foods. A third reason is a malnutrition due to a medical condition such as reflux.
There are certain eating disorders seen in childhood. These; childhood obesity, pica, rumination disorder. Let's talk about each of them briefly:
Childhood obesity is when the child is 20% over the expected weight. Although this situation is called genetic, the main reason is that the child consumes too many calories. It occurs due to the mother's concern about the child's nutrition, and the child cannot understand hunger and satiety because he is fed frequently. Treatment can only occur if the mother accepts the situation and voluntarily makes an effort to correct it.
Pika occurs as a result of persistently eating non-edible substances. It is more common in boys, children with mental retardation, and children with autism. Studies have shown that the likelihood of pica increases as mental retardation increases. Serious medical problems may occur between 12 and 24 months in a child who is developing normally. These problems can generally be listed as intestinal obstruction, diarrhea, iron and zinc deficiency, anemia or lead poisoning.
Rumination disorder is the conscious and repetitive bringing of stomach contents to the mouth and chewing again. It is more common in boys. It can be done to soothe oneself, to attract the caregiver's attention, or to gain pleasure. The main reasons for its emergence are inappropriate psychosocial environment and inadequate relationship between mother and child. This disorder can cause serious medical disorders. These; mouth sores, tooth decay, dehydration, aspiration, weight loss and death. Mortality rates have been reported as 25%.
So what can parents do if their child has an eating disorder?
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Parents should not be overly controlling towards their children. In this case, as I mentioned above, the child begins to draw limits regarding food, which allows him to gain his own freedom.
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Do not set high goals for your child. This situation creates pressure on the child and may also create problems with his self-esteem. This situation may cause an eating disorder of psychological origin.
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Physical criticism should be avoided.
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Children should be helped to express their feelings. In this way, the child does not use food as a tool to express his feelings.
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