Lack of appetite and refusal to eat are important problems frequently encountered in children. The rate of healthy children brought to the doctor due to loss of appetite and eating problems in childhood varies between 20-35%.
It causes serious concerns in the family and often in the caregiver mother. “My child does not eat, his resistance to diseases will decrease, he will get sick frequently. He will remain short. Will he be able to “grow” with this food? “Anxieties and worries like these gnaw at the minds of parents. On the other hand, it should also be mentioned that there is serious peer pressure, especially on mothers. Because whether a child has an appetite or not is often equated with being a "good mother" or not. While this pressure is sometimes expressed openly, sometimes it can be implicitly implied in conversation. These and similar pressures make mothers wonder, "Am I not a good mother?" Where am I making a mistake? “I can't do anything.” It may pave the way for the formation of delusions and concerns such as: Thus, our child's appetite problem suddenly becomes a personal problem. Unfortunately, it is not easy to live under this pressure, so as parents, we put pressure on our children to eat more.
First of all, my advice to parents who have poor appetite: do not "personalize" the issue. Please do not make it a matter of conflict whether your child eats or not. Because, as in all wars, there will be no winners in this war. The more you insist your child eat or try to control him with rewards and punishment, the less he will eat; you will feel worse. Both you and your child will be unhappy. I can guarantee this.
After this introduction, let's first take a look at what anorexia is.
It can be defined as not eating any food with appetite or desire. The World Health Organization defines malnutrition in infants and children as difficulty in feeding or rejection of food or excessive selectivity in the presence of appropriate and sufficient food sources in the presence of a reasonable and adequate caregiver for children without an underlying organic disease.
Picky eating. eating behavior; It includes behaviors such as rejection of certain types of foods, acceptance of only certain types of foods, reluctance to try new foods. Picky eating is common in typically developing children It can also occur in people with medical or developmental diseases. One of the most important problems here is the family's negative perceptions that the child's weight and eating habits may affect the child's development and future lifestyle.
Important points to be evaluated in a child with no appetite; The presence of an underlying organic disease, the family's attitudes and behaviors regarding nutrition, and how much the child's growth and development is affected by this situation.
The expectations of families regarding the child's nutrition and growth may often be different. While some studies show that the growth and health of children who are reported to eat little and selectively are not affected by this situation, some studies have shown that these children grow slower than their peers.
5 important triggering situations that cause eating disorders
• Mothers' anxiety and being challenging are important triggers. The fact that our baby gains approximately 600-800g of weight in the first months does not mean that our babies will gain this amount of weight every month for life. Thank God. As our children grow, they begin to gain less weight. This anxiety increases especially when the mother does not know the fact that the baby does not gain as much weight as the first months while growing during the normal development process. giving puree or slurry, constantly forcing fruits and vegetables
• Constant wiping of the baby's mouth in a disturbing way during feeding
• Ignoring the child's wishes, resorting to reward or punishment
Every child is special .
The child's temperament is also one of the factors affecting eating habits. We cannot expect every child to be the same. This also applies to identical twins. In fact, they may often have opposite personalities and temperaments. If we accept this fact, we will also accept from the beginning that we do not have a ready-made prescription for everyone. That's when raising children becomes history. We can discover the opportunity to grow together with our children. Every parent wants their child to be special. Here's your opportunity. Yes your child It is special. Just like every other individual. Please treat him like that...
For example, some children are more active. Fidget. They prefer game to food. These children eat very well 1-2 times a day or feed small amounts at frequent intervals.
Some are more naughty. They only allow the people they like and are used to feeding to feed them. They prefer to eat frequently and little, and they are very picky about food. Most children are easily distracted. That's why they prefer to eat in quiet and calm environments.
Eating should be turned into a loving relationship, not an obligatory task.
There should be a harmonious and loving relationship between the person feeding and the baby. The person feeding must be patient and respectful of the child's wishes and feelings; It should be encouraging and encouraging. After the age of one, the baby should be encouraged to eat on his own.
Recommendations
We have a golden rule when it comes to food. 4N rule. What, When, Where and How Much
What our child will eat, that is, the nutrition and quality of the food we will offer him; The family should decide when to eat, that is, the meals, and where to eat (eating at the table with the family, not in front of the TV or phone). However, our child must decide how much he will eat.
At this point, it is important to allow your child to choose among healthy foods. Because being involved in his life by choosing his own food will improve his personality and self-confidence. Unfortunately, parents or caregivers generally apply the opposite of these rules.
The most important reason for this is the belief that our children cannot regulate their appetites themselves. However, studies show that our children can regulate their appetite from very young months. They become aware of their feelings of hunger and can adjust themselves according to the signals coming from their bodies. That's why it is very important to respect their abilities and personalities. In addition;
• It is important to choose the appropriate food for your child.
• We should choose foods that are suitable for his age and oral-motor development and that he likes the taste of.
• Do not force him to eat the food he does not like. , after a while Trying again will help them get used to that food.
• Children learn by seeing and imitating. That's why it's important for family members not to choose food at the table. Unfortunately, we see that parents of children who are picky eaters can also choose food.
• We must avoid distractions.
• We must feed in a quiet, noiseless environment.
• Using a high chair. and having the chair close to the food bowl,
• An environment away from distractions such as TVs and toys will be beneficial.
• Please make your child feel hungry.
• Meals. There should be at least 3-4 hours between meals. > • It is important that you do not give processed foods, cola, soft drinks or ice tea or tea. • You should not extend the meal time.
• Meal should be started within 15 minutes
• Meal time should not be longer than 30-35 minutes.
• Meal time should be fun
• Angry Being unhappy or even looking unhappy affects children's appetite. • There should be no pressure, excessive persuasion, begging, bribery, threat or punishment. • Rewards should not be used.
• Play and Exercise
/strong>
• Movement and games between meals increase the appetite
• Games can be played for 15 minutes before starting to eat. >• I recommend eating with the family.
In this way, our child feels like a member of the family and the table can be turned into a fun place to spend together. It is also important to allow and encourage our child to eat independently in an age-appropriate manner. (First of all, eating should not be a battle.)
What situations should we pay attention to in a child with no appetite?
It should not be forgotten that; Loss of appetite often occurs due to a disease z. It is mostly seen when the expectations of the parents or caregivers do not match the expectations of the child. And the main predisposing reason for this is the attitudes and behaviors of the parents. However, in order to say this, it is important to determine whether our child's development is appropriate for his age and gender.
If a child has a developmental delay, it is necessary to investigate whether there is a disease that causes loss of appetite.
In addition, there are some alarm signs • If he/she has had cough, choking, or recurrent pneumonia while swallowing,
• If you have diarrhea, constipation, or vomiting attacks.
• If there is growth-developmental delay, weight loss
• Eczema
• Congenital anomalies, prematurity
• If there is autism and other behavioral disorders, you can consult your pediatrician.
Stay well…
Read: 0
