What To Do When A Child Is Not Eating?

When a child doesn’t eat, parents naturally worry and wonder if they are doing something wrong or if the child is sick. A poorly eating child may not get the nutrients they need to grow and develop and may be susceptible to various diseases as early as childhood. These diseases can follow a child for the rest of their lives.

The human body requires the energy provided by food so that the body can perform all the necessary functions. No one survives or is healthy without eating. An adult does understand this idea, but it can be difficult for a child to comprehend it. Because of this, it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that the child eats well.

But what can parents do when a child is not eating? Does this have to force him to eat or is it worth waiting for him to start eating at his own pace? In this article, we answer these questions, among other things.

When a child suddenly stops eating

Almost every child goes through a stage where he or she does not want to eat certain foods. For example, a baby may have loved beans, but suddenly begins to fight them. Like magic, a child might eat plain rice for weeks and spit out of his mouth all the vegetables, meats, potatoes, and other foods that are offered to him.

Of course, the situation can also be the opposite, and parents may be surprised when a child voluntarily begins to eat something they have previously hated.

There are also children who eat well throughout their childhood and all the way to adulthood. Eating with other children can throw up a lot, with appetite being good at times and bad at times – which can confuse parents.

It is perfectly normal for a child to go through stages where the food tastes worse for him than usual. But what if the child refuses to eat even a small piece?

Tips for parents whose child is not eating

Does your child sometimes stop eating? Do you feel like you’re doing everything you can to get him to eat? Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Let the child eat the foods he likes

So allow your child to eat the foods he likes, as long as it’s not junk food. For example, if a child likes yogurt, milk, cheese, or ice cream, and wants to eat it for lunch, let the child do so. However, these foods provide many of the fats, vitamins, and minerals a child needs.

However, it is better to eat something than to be on an empty stomach.

Ask your child to help with cooking

Even if the child is still small, he likes to help with the cooking next to you and also mess up a bit at the same time.

Let your child play an active role in cooking. And even if you want to teach your child good manners, encourage your children to use their hands to learn about the dishes you are preparing.

This also increases the child’s appetite. Even if your child does not want to eat a prepared portion of food, you will be relieved by the fact that your child has already tasted the food at the cooking stage.

Provide a varied food for the child

If your child always wants not to eat at times, you should try to offer as many different foods as possible. Use colorful foods and create beautifully shaped dishes like a smile, boat or house – fruits and vegetables are a great option for this purpose.

It is important to find out what kind of food and how prepared the child likes it.

Let the child eat for himself with a spoon

Even if you are sitting feeding him, put a bib on him and let him practice or play with the food.

You know that this can lead to chaos when you are unable to ensure your child’s food intake, but misleading a child and a sense of independence can motivate a child to eat. 

Do not force the child to eat

If your child only wants to eat snacks, but no more decent food after them, don’t force the child to eat. This only makes the situation worse.

Serve ingredients separately

Offer your child different rations of food so that all the ingredients are separated. An anorexic child can be embarrassed when there are too many different foods on the same plate, and for that reason fail to eat.

We therefore recommend separating the foods from each other. If a child even eats a box of food and it doesn’t taste like a couple more spoons for the child, put the box food aside and give the child rice. When the rice no longer tastes, give the child meat, then salad and so on.

If your child tastes every dish even a little, you can be happy that your child has been allowed to eat even something.