Children have difficulty eating, don't let it! Here are 10 ways to overcome the right

Children having difficulty eating or not wanting to eat are often a challenge for parents to face. In fact, during this growth period, the nutritional intake of school children from food must be fulfilled properly, in order to support their development. Before pulling the tendon, first find out what actually causes the child to have difficulty eating and how to deal with it appropriately.

What causes the child to have difficulty eating?

Refusing to eat is actually a normal phase that every child and you as a parent will go through, including during the 6-9 years of child development.

The main reason children don't want to eat at all is usually because they have their own "fear" about the food.

This fear can be because the smell, shape, appearance, texture, or taste of food is new to him.

This condition is usually experienced by children who are just about to try eating new types of food or have tried them but don't like them.

It is this worry that then makes children picky eaters.

This act seems to be a form of defense for him in sorting food, even though what you are actually serving is healthy food for children.

Unfortunately, this indirectly leads to a more limited variety of children's diets, thus affecting their daily nutritional adequacy.

In addition, the reason a child does not want to eat can also be due to his appetite which often changes at this age, especially when trying new foods.

The condition of the child not wanting to eat can also be because he is sick or has certain medical conditions.

Here are some things that cause a child's appetite to lose so it's hard to eat:

1. Children have difficulty eating because of diarrhea

If usually a child's appetite is good but suddenly it becomes difficult to eat, it could be that he has a viral or bacterial infection.

Pay attention to whether the child often goes back and forth to the bathroom and complains of abdominal pain repeatedly.

If the child has this condition, it is most likely that the cause of the child's difficulty eating is diarrhea, especially if the child has a hobby of snacking carelessly.

2. Constipation

Constipation or constipation is a condition when a child's bowel movements are not as smooth as usual.

Constipation is in contrast to diarrhea which makes the sufferer able to defecate frequently.

When a child is constipated, the frequency of bowel movements can be very rare. In fact, children can only defecate about 3 times a week.

In this condition, it is possible for children to have more difficulty eating, even reluctant to try new types of food.

3. Eosinophilic esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a condition when white blood cells (eosinophils), which are supposed to ward off allergies, actually accumulate in the esophagus.

This can be triggered by a response to an allergen (allergen).

Most children who have esophagitis are usually allergic to several types of food or other things, such as milk, nuts, eggs, pollen, and so on.

Esophagitis causes symptoms in the form of swelling of the throat so that it hurts when swallowing food.

4. Food intolerance

Food intolerance is a condition when the body does not have the ability to digest certain substances contained in food or drink.

It is important to understand that this condition is different from a food allergy, which is caused by an immune system reaction.

The inability of the body to digest food causes various symptoms. Includes stomach pain, nausea, etc.

This is what ultimately makes children refuse to even eat at all. Various foods that can lead to intolerance include lactose, wheat, and gluten.

5. Kidney and liver disorders

Various diseases that affect the function of the kidneys, liver, and other organs can cause children to have difficulty eating.

Consult with your doctor to find out the exact cause experienced by your little one.

How do you deal with children who have difficulty eating?

The approach that must be taken to help overcome the problem of a child who does not want to eat can vary depending on the characteristics of the child.

If parents can talk to their children comfortably, try asking them what problems and complaints they are feeling. On the other hand, also pay attention to what types of favorite foods and foods that children don't like.

When a child has difficulty eating, maybe he is bored with daily food, or does have his own complaints.

Complaints or factors that make it harder to eat.

In general, here are tips you can do to treat children who have difficulty eating:

1. Give food in small portions but often

Giving children large portions of food when they are having trouble eating will certainly make them only able to eat small portions.

In fact, children may find it increasingly difficult to eat because they are reluctant to touch their food.

Instead of serving large portions of food but not running out, try to eat children not too much but often enough.

The Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI) recommends providing a minimum distance of three hours before entering the next meal.

That way, children will feel more when they are hungry and when they are full. This makes the portion of the meal more fitting when it is meal time.

If applied regularly, this method can at least help manage their eating schedule so that over time, the problem of children having difficulty eating can be resolved properly.

2. Create a regular mealtime if the child is having trouble eating

It's best to get your child into the habit of eating three main meals and two side meals between main meals.

This also teaches children about routines at the same time. That way, children know what to do at certain times.

Launching from the Mayo Clinic, it is recommended that you feed your children on schedule. If your child is too tired, he may choose to sleep and refuse to eat.

This makes it difficult to eat. We recommend that, give small meals or milk before the child takes a nap.

Have everyone at home or caring for your child follow this routine for you to apply to your child.

3. Serve food with an attractive appearance

Getting around the food offerings can also be a way to deal with children who have difficulty eating.

If you have been accustomed to giving your child meals in a normal manner, now try other ways to serve food.

For example, give the child a plate of food with an attractive appearance by shaping the rice into a face shape, then using vegetables and side dishes as a sweetener.

You can mold the carrots into a crown, or cucumber for grass.

Get creative in your own way to find interesting variations on the child's plate.

This method can also be applied if the child is sick and does not want to eat at all.

4. Vary food with a variety of flavors

In addition, when serving snacks in the afternoon and evening, you can offer a delicious taste of food and sweet fruits.

Sometimes, children don't want to eat because they are bored with the same taste of one food and want to try other new food flavors.

The more variety of foods that children eat, of course, will complement the nutrition that children need.

However, never promise sweet treats to children as gifts.

Parents will usually offer sweets as a gift if the child finishes the meal or if the child eats vegetables.

This will reduce children's interest in foods other than sweet foods.

5. Vary with children's favorite foods when it is difficult to eat

When the child is sick and doesn't want to eat, you can provoke the child's appetite by giving him his favorite foods.

Mix their favorite foods with other types of food so that children's nutritional intake is more diverse.

6. Avoid giving a drink while eating

Many children often drink in the middle of the process of eating because they are dragged or thirsty. In fact, drinking too much can actually make the child's stomach bloated so they only eat a little.

From now on, it's best to limit the amount of water that children can drink while eating as a way to deal with difficulty eating.

If you want to drink, give the child a drink before eating and can only drink large amounts again after the food is finished.

7. Introduce new foods slowly

Sometimes, the child's condition is difficult to eat because he is not too familiar with the food you are serving.

If you want to introduce new foods, try doing it gradually. Introduce in small amounts first and then proceed to larger portions after the child gets used to it.

Immediately giving new food in large portions can make children reluctant to eat it, especially if you don't like the appearance, texture, or aroma.

8. Involve the child in an interesting way

Various interesting activities related to food can be a good idea as a way to solve the problem of children who have difficulty eating.

For example, you can invite children to play with girls' toys such as cooking games or invite children to prepare meals together.

Apart from being fun, these methods will also help you to introduce the world of food to your children.

Invite your child to help you shop and let him choose the food he wants.

After that, you can also invite children to help prepare food at the dining table.

Activities like this can help promote the positive development of a child's eating behavior.

In this way, he can find out a variety of types of food and can find new foods for him so that he will be interested in trying them.

9. Make mealtimes as comfortable as possible

Another way that you can try to deal with children who have difficulty eating is to invite some of their friends over to the house to eat together.

This is because children usually eat more when they are with their friends.

Usually, when eating with friends, children become more excited, especially if friends can finish their food.

This is one surefire way to deal with children who have difficulty eating. Keep children away from television, pets, and toys while eating so they can concentrate more.

In addition, do not scold or force children to eat because it can make their appetite disappear.

Let the child take their own food in their hands if desired. This gave him the opportunity to study different food textures.

Children will also feel more comfortable to eat alone and this is a learning responsibility for children.

10. Be a good role model for children

Setting a good example for children can be one way to deal with children who have difficulty eating.

Children are reliable imitators of the actions of those around them.

So, before asking your child to try new foods or finish the foods you serve, set an example first.

You can invite your little one to sit together at the dining table, then give the child the same food that other family members eat.

If at first the child seems hesitant to taste the food, give an example and say that the food is no less delicious than his favorite food.

There are times when you or your partner may both have a habit of sorting out food or dislike certain types of food.

In this condition, it is not surprising that later children will imitate the habits of this one parent. So that children do not have difficulty eating certain foods, avoid showing this attitude in front of children.

Another way you can try to deal with a child who has difficulty eating is to tell the child about how you enjoy these foods.

This trick can lure children to be more interested in trying it.

Also, tell them how happy you are to see him eating well. Your child will love to hear your compliment and will be more eager to finish the meal.

What should be avoided when children have difficulty eating?

Indeed, sometimes it feels really anxious to see the habits of children who are difficult or lazy to eat. However, you should avoid taking actions that can make it harder for your child to eat, such as:

1. Forcing children to eat

Don't force your child to finish food or try a new food if it's not ready.

It is not impossible, the force you give will even make it more difficult for children to eat the food that has been provided.

Instead, try to stay positive about the child's business.

Take, for example, praise when the child starts to eat regularly and on time, even though the number of portions may not be too large.

2. Make the child forced to finish the food on the plate

After the child feels full, do not force him to continue to spend the rest of the food on his plate.

The more the child is forced to finish his food, the more difficult it will be for the child to eat. Forcing is never the right solution to solve problems in children.

That is why it is better to give children a proper portion of food, aka not too much or too little.

On the bright side, this method can teach children to better understand when their bodies feel hungry and when they have had enough to eat.

What are the long term consequences if the child has difficulty eating?

If the child's condition is difficult to eat, this only happens once or twice, aka rarely, maybe it's not a problem.

However, don't underestimate it when your child has difficulty eating for a long time.

Daily food is useful as a source of energy as well as a supplier of daily nutritional intake for children.

Automatically, the condition of children who have difficulty eating will certainly affect the adequacy of the daily nutrients they get.

It is feared that it can interfere with children's cognitive development and physical development of children.

Quoting from the page of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), the result of the child's habit of not wanting to eat has a long-term effect on reducing their calorie intake.

As a result, the calories children get from food and drinks are not sufficient for their daily needs.

Over time, these habits can affect and even hinder the process of child development. This is because their daily nutritional needs are not optimally fulfilled to support their growth.

At first, the impact of a child having difficulty eating may only affect their weight, whether it stays at the same rate without increasing, or it may even decrease.

Gradually, this condition affects the growth of the child's height until it finally ends in the overall nutritional status of the child.

It is possible that there will be nutritional problems that lead to malnutrition in children.

Do not delay to find out what causes difficulty eating in children.

You can also consult your little one to the doctor so that they are given the right treatment.

The doctor may give vitamins for children.

Various things that interfere with the child's daily eating process must be identified as early as possible so that the underlying causes can be immediately identified.

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