Is Your Child A Picky Eater? 3 Possible Reasons

Do you often see your child staring at their food and appearing to dread what’s on the plate? Better yet, is your child constantly rejecting new foods and will only eat one or two meals they know? These could be signs that your little one may be a picky eater. If that is the case, you’re not alone, as research reveals that picky eating is a common problem in children, with up to 50% of preschoolers experiencing this. This issue can be frustrating for parents and kids, but knowing the underlying reasons, including those listed below, can help you understand it better.

1. Sensory sensitivities

Science has shown that some people have increased sensory sensitivity, accounting for many things, including how some children have increased awareness of foods and how certain ingredients taste. That could be why your child is a picky eater while you try to get them to eat nutritious foods. A child with sensory sensitivities has an acute sense of taste, smell, and texture of food. While these may seem harmless, they often make it difficult for such kids to be receptive to new foods. They may even reject or refuse to eat foods they used to enjoy. Fortunately, you can work around this by paying particular attention to the meals your child enjoys. No matter how limited that is, it’s important to keep a journal and note down the ingredients your little one tolerates. Doing this helps you create new recipes without veering from those tolerable ingredients. It’s worth noting that research has shown that many kids grow out of their sensory sensitivities, so it’s usually not a cause for worry.

2. Anxiety

Children, no matter how young, can experience stress and anxiety. It could result from many things, and as a primary caregiver, you must discover what they are. While at it, you should also be concerned about how anxiety manifests in your child. Sometimes, it shows up in your little one rejecting food or refusing to try new meals. Anxious kids may be uncomfortable or even afraid of trying new foods because of a hidden fear of choking. That happens especially when a child has experienced the discomfort of choking while eating. In such situations, it may be safe to conclude that your child has a fear that needs to be overcome. As a parent without the requisite specialized knowledge and expertise, you may find this challenging. Fortunately, professionals can offer feeding therapy and more to help your child, and you can check sites like https://www.metroehs.com/ for more information. This way, you can be proactive about your child’s feeding issues and help resolve them for good.

3. Lack of exposure to new foods

Children not exposed to various foods at a young age will likely become unreceptive to other meal options. That is another reason your child could be a picky eater, as they may not have developed a taste for different foods earlier. Usually, it is advised that you encourage your kids to try new foods from the time they are weaned off breast milk or formula. Pureed nutritious ingredients help your child acquire a taste for foods containing them. If you fail to start them early, there is still hope; you can introduce these foods gradually. Incorporate new ingredients into foods your child already likes. The trick is minimal incorporation to avoid your young one rejecting it altogether. Sometimes, a reward technique may help if your child proves difficult to eat new foods. Experts, however, advise that the reward system be used sparingly to prevent children from becoming overly reliant on them.

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Josie Smith