Before having kids, you may have imagined that family mealtimes would be lovely times where everyone gathered around the table, ate delicious, nutritious food and chatted happily about their day.
Now you’re finding that real life is a little different. The delicious, nutritious food is there – your child just won’t eat it!
When it comes to children’s eating habits, terms like ‘picky’ and ‘problem’ are often used interchangeably. There is no clear definition, after all. For our purposes, though, ‘picky’ refers to a typical developmental stage while ‘problem’ indicates a deeper issue that might require help.
What is picky eating?
Picky eating is a normal stage in a child’s development, characterised by a temporary refusal to eat certain foods or a preference for specific textures or tastes.
A picky eater keeps you on your toes as a chef. They might refuse vegetables for a few days or insist on eating only one type of food for a week but will eventually return to a more balanced diet.
Key traits of picky eating include:
- Varied preferences: Preferences change frequently but the child is generally open to trying new foods over time.
- An expression of autonomy: Your child is asserting their independence through their food choices.
- Short-lived phases: picky eating comes and goes. Your child is harder to please some weeks than others.
How to support picky eaters
Despite occasional food refusals, picky eaters usually consume a variety of foods over weeks or months, meeting their nutritional needs. While their dietary intake isn’t great on some days, it’s not too bad overall.
As a result, picky eating isn’t usually cause for concern (though it can certainly be frustrating!). It can usually be managed with:
- Patience: This too shall pass!
- Choices: Offer a variety of foods without pressure and give them choices between two good options (‘Would you like carrots or cucumber?’). Children often need repeated exposure to a new food before they are willing to try it.
- Positive reinforcement: Praise them when they eat well or try something new.
- Creating a relaxed mealtime environment: Food is only one part of a family meal. Focus on the family time and don’t pay too much attention to what’s left on the plate.
What is problem eating?
Problem eating is more persistent and problematic. It can lead to nutritional deficiencies and anxiety around meals, potentially affecting a child’s growth and development.
Key traits of problem eating include:
- Limited food range: problem eaters often accept only a handful of foods (usually less than 20), refusing to try anything new or unfamiliar.
- Persistent and rigid: This behaviour is more entrenched, lasting beyond the typical picky eating phase and potentially continuing into later childhood or adolescence.
- Anxiety and control: problem eaters may experience anxiety around new foods or mealtimes and might use food refusal as a way to express control.
- Nutritional concerns: Because of the restricted diet, problem eaters are at higher risk for nutritional deficiencies, impacting their health and development.
These are problematic feeding behaviours. Your child may refuse to eat foods of a certain colour, for example, or have a strong and fearful reaction to new foods. They may have a meltdown if different foods touch on their plate or if the food is not prepared as they expected it to be. Mealtimes can be very difficult for everyone involved.
How to support problem/problematic eaters
As you can see, problem eating is often deeply entrenched and may be linked to other aspects of your child’s life. It’s not likely to go away by itself and may affect your child’s development and cause considerable stress on your family.
So, seek professional help. Talk to your GP or book an appointment with a speech therapist, psychologist or occupational therapist.
These professionals all play a role in supporting children with feeding difficulties. Between them, they can rule out (or treat) underlying medical conditions, ease food-related anxiety, ease mealtime stress and help your child feel more comfortable with the sensory aspects of certain foods.
How occupational therapy helps kids with feeding problems
As occupational therapists, we help kids have positive mealtime experiences which is important for social and emotional development.
We can help your child:
- Improve their fine and gross motor skills relating to feeding eg. Using cutlery
- Become more open to different tastes and textures of food
- Increase their food intake by addressing sensory preferences
- Develop emotional regulation skills required to increase confidence and resilience to try new foods.
We can also help you to feel less stressed about mealtimes and learn new strategies for making this time pleasant for your family.
If you’d welcome help to improve your child’s eating behaviour, please call us on 02 9913 3823 to book an appointment.
Disclaimer
All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.
References
- Feeding Matters, Picky Eaters Versus Problem Feeders, https://www.feedingmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/pickyeaters-vs-problem-feeders.pdf. [Accessed 19 September 2024]
- Raising Children, picky eating, https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/nutrition-fitness/common-concerns/picky-eating, [Accessed 19 September 2024]
- Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, picky eating in children, https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/kids-health-hub/kids-nutrition/picky-eating-children#typical-and-problematic-feeding-1, [Accessed 19 September 2024]
- Kids Health, Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/arfid.html, [Accessed 19 September 2024]
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