Today, many parents complain that their children have no appetite, apply to health institutions with this complaint, and use various prescription or non-prescription medications or nutritional supplements to relieve their child's lack of appetite. So, what exactly is anorexia? Is anorexia a disease? Is there any medicine or treatment that increases appetite? What should parents do if they think their child has a poor appetite? The answers to all these questions are in our article.
What is appetite?
The nutritional needs of humans for growth, development and energy production are regulated by hunger, satiety and appetite mechanisms. Appetite; It is the desire to eat felt as hunger for a food.
Lack of appetite: For whom? According to what?
Appetite is a relative concept. Its objective measure is the evaluation of the child's growth and development. Realloss of appetite; It is the retardation of the child's growth and development because he does not receive the nutrients he needs in sufficient quantities. For this reason, families who think their children have appetite problems should first consult a health institution.
Is anorexia a disease?
Anorexia is not a disease. It is a common finding seen in many medical problems or diseases. Therefore, the most important point in solving anorexia is to find the cause that causes appetite suppression.
Is there a treatment for anorexia?
Most of the children brought to health institutions with complaints of anorexia do not have a disease or medical condition that may cause anorexia. The cause of anorexia in most of these children is mistakes made during nutrition education and wrong family behaviors. For these children, very good results can be achieved with adjustments to family behavior and eating habits.
There are different treatment approaches for loss of appetite due to a medical problem or disease, depending on the underlying cause. It is appropriate for these children to be monitored in centers specialized in their diseases.
A child with appetite problems General recommendations for families:
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Nutrition is a need. Reward or punishment should not be the subject. Pressure, persuasion, begging or threatening language should not be used against the child regarding nutrition.
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Insisting on feeding children is one of the most important causes of loss of appetite. The correct approach to nutrition is for the family to decide what the child will eat and when, and for the child to decide how much he will eat. Parents should know their children well and create a nutrition plan according to their interests, wishes and needs.
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Especially in young children, the ability to focus is weak and the attention span is short. For this reason, the environment where feeding takes place should be quiet and there should be no distractions. Feeding should not be accompanied by television, phone or tablet.
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Eating without being hungry creates reluctance in children towards food. Feeding times should be adjusted according to children's hunger levels.
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Meal times and durations should be specific and regular. Feeding time should not be longer than 30-35 minutes.
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Snacks and snacks suppress children's appetite and reduce their desire for the next meal. Children should not be given fruit juice, snacks or snacks close to feeding times.
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Every meal that cannot be finished creates a feeling of failure in the child. For this reason, children's portions should be kept as small as possible and added to their plates as they finish.
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Children consume more willingly the foods they helped prepare. Children should be given age-appropriate tasks in meal preparation.
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It is important to turn feeding time into a fun time for the child. Care should be taken to ensure that family members are together at meal times.
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The child's individuality should be respected in nutrition, and the child should be supported in creating his own preferences and eating on his own.
Is it useful to give supplements such as vitamins, minerals or fish oil to children with poor appetite?
It is a substance that the body needs. to the lack Positive results can be achieved by replacing a missing vitamin, mineral or enzyme in children who develop anorexia due to anorexia. However, there is no evidence that using these products as supplements increases appetite in children who do not have any vitamin or mineral deficiencies. On the contrary, unnecessary and long-term use of such food supplements may lead to negative consequences. In children with poor appetite, replacement therapy should be given only for the missing vitamins and minerals.
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