Ms. Mary Silva
Specializing in feeding and nutrition.
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 Ask Mary Silva
Encouraging a Poor Eater | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Ms. Silva,
My son is 20 months old, and I can't get him to eat. Do you have any suggestions?— Losing My Mind | | | ANSWER |
November 7, 2000 | | | Dear Losing My Mind,
I know that it's a worrisome and frustrating situation for a parent when a child seems to have lost his appetite. From your note, I can't quite tell if you feel that your son isn't eating at all, or whether you feel he isn't eating enough. In either case, you should consult his healthcare provider because a lack of appetite can be a symptom of many medical conditions. Your doctor also can tell you if there's been a recent weight loss or slower than expected growth.
If your healthcare provider doesn't find a medical problem, you might analyze the situation by first asking if you're comparing his current eating to his first year of life. In the second year, children grow more slowly and do not eat as much. You also might consider what he's drinking. Is he consuming more than 24 to 32 ounces of milk a day? A preference for milk, especially if it's flavored, can reduce his appetite for other foods. Is he drinking more than 12 ounces of juice or some other high-caloric beverage? This, too, can affect his appetite. And does he prefer to eat small amounts of food throughout the day instead of three larger meals? He might eat better if you schedule five or six small feedings during his waking hours, roughly three hours apart.
Finally, consider his eating environment. Is the area well lit and pleasant? Is there a minimum of household traffic and other distractions? Is he allowed to feed himself with his fingers or a spoon? At this age, most children want some control over eating, and parents can foster this growing independence by including at least one finger food in each meal, as well as encouraging them with words and smiles. Read your child's cues: Some young children are happy to allow you to feed them part of a meal and then prefer to take over themselves.
— by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D. |
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