Why Do Some Children Refuse to Eat?

Introduction 

It is quite sad to think that it is possible for a child to develop an eating disorder. It is also unfortunate to realize that in recent years, the number of children diagnosed with eating disorders has increased. According to studies conducted, children as young as 7 years can be diagnosed with a feeding disorder (Lask & Bryant-Waugh, 2013). It is unclear why more and more young children are refusing to eat, and it may well be that they always develop such disorders, but they go undiagnosed until the children are older. Determining whether or not a child has an eating disorder when young is rather difficult given that prepubescent children tend to differ in nourishment and body weight inherently as development spurts come and go (Birmingham & Treasure, 2010). 

Notably, not eating well can make a child ill, and if this continues for a long period of time, the child is hospitalized and fed through a tube in their nose. When children refuse to eat well when they are in a developmental phase, their height could be compromised (Familydoctor.org, 2017). A few complications also come up as parents try to differentiate a feeding disorder from common food behaviors in young children such as being picky. Parents are not to blame for a child’s refusal to eat and can instead be a constructive force when assisting the child to recover from it. 

Discussion 

Signs and symptoms of eating disorders in children 

Where eating habits are concerned, children can be hard to foretell. While some days they may not eat much or not eat at all, others seems like they are eating too much. However, how much one child eats may be different from how much another eats. Some of the signs and symptoms that parents should be on the look out for when a child refuses to eat include having body image concerns, hoarding or hiding food, complete refusal to eat, reduction in food portion size, lack of growth, and anger when food is offered (Farrar, 2014). Additional symptoms may include failure to gain weight in a developing child, being depressed or irritable, excessive movement such as refusal to sit still and running around, and thinning of hair on the child’s head (Couturier, 2007). 

Parents know their children better than anyone else and that is why if they observe their children’s refusal to eat, they should take a few approaches. Firstly, they should not blame themselves as they are not the cause of feeding disorders. Parents should also make an effort to educate themselves and gather more information from the Internet in order to better understand reasons why their child is refusing to eat or eating too little (Anderson & Nicolay, 2016). They should never undervalue the potential they possess to assist their children in the recovery process. Parents should surround themselves with resources that will enable them stay firm, positive, and confident. 

There has been a lot of criticism in the past due to the belief that eating disorders in children were as a result of faulty parenting (Lask & Bryant-Waugh, 2013). Although such old-fashioned philosophy has been disproven for many years now, it is still something that has not been completely embraced and comprehended by all individuals everywhere. Those with little education or no information about eating disorders may still believe that bad parenting causes a child’s refusal to eat (Birmingham & Treasure, 2010). It is, therefore, important that a parent understands that a child’s refusal to eat is not their fault and find a helpful approach to assist in the child’s return to wellness. 

Parents should learn to differentiate between refusal to eat and picky feeding. If a child refuses to eat based on the texture and color of the food, or is unwilling to try anything out of the ordinary in terms of food choices, then s/he is totally normal (Farrar, 2014). Additionally, if the child is picking on a few foods and eating them all the time or only desires to feed him/her self with a fork or spoon, then they are exhibiting normal picky feeding behavior. Here, the refusal to eat means that the child is practicing their independence (Couturier, 2007). However, if a child exhibits some of the symptoms previously discussed, then parents have something to worry about. 

Reasons why some children refuse to eat and what parents can do 

Various reasons can lead to a child refusing to eat. For instance, they may be bored eating similar foods over and over again. This may be true today, given the fact that most parents have busy work schedules and thus have no time to prepare varied meals. They may pick on what is easy to prepare and will take less time doing so (Anderson & Nicolay, 2016). In the end, they may end up feeding the child the same thing for a long time. If a child refuses to eat what was once their favorite snack or meal, it could be a sign that they are bored with what is being offered. Parents should, therefore, talk with their child and discover why they do not prefer the meal anymore. They can also come up with new menus that vary and still take less time to prepare (Lask & Bryant-Waugh, 2013). A child who refuses to eat under these circumstances should be involved in the shopping and preparation of meals. 

A child may refuse to eat if they are always served big portions. Traditionally, most individuals from the minority group and Africans tend to feed their children huge portions in the belief that it will make them develop quickly and become strong (Birmingham & Treasure, 2010). However, what they do not realize is that a child can actually be overwhelmed by food if they are served with too much. In this case, parents should try and offer their child a smaller portion while guaranteeing that it is a balanced meal. Once finished with the first portion, most likely the child will ask for more. Parents can place the meal in the middle of the table, allowing the children to serve themselves (Familydoctor, 2017). 

Today’s parents are all about health eating and at times, they may end up making their children drink too much milk or juice. Too much milk tends to fill children up given their fat and protein content (Farrar, 2014). Thus, when it is meal time, these children may refuse to eat. Parents should offer small amounts of juice or milk soon after a meal in order to ensure that the children are not heavy with it. Milk can also be given in between meals as this does not disrupt the iron absorption from the central meal (Couturier, 2007). Another mistake that most parents do is giving their children too many snacks. Similar to the case with milk or juice, snacks also fill up a child, easily resulting in the child’s refusal to eat during meal times. 

It is important that a parent allows the child to develop an appetite between meals. The parent should also encourage healthy feeding habits through creation of meal time schedules, and trying to ensure children eat their snacks and meals at the same time daily. It is quite common for a parent to pressure their child into eating, especially when they notice the child is feeding poorly (Anderson & Nicolay, 2016). Demanding that a child eats at least one bite every moment may appear logical, but can frequently backfire. Research indicates that children usually react unconstructively when pressured by parents to eat foods, even if there is a reward at the end. 

In such instances, parents should allow their children to feed themselves and eat meals at their own speed. A parent’s key role during a meal is to offer different nutritious foods and it is a child’s role to choose what and how much to consume (Lask & Bryant-Waugh, 2013). Mealtimes should be more constructive and concentrate on family bonding rather than forcing the child to feed. Notably, setting a good example by eating various healthy foods will encourage a child to also try eating such foods. Also, new foods should be combined with old foods or those that the child already favors. 

There are a number of things that parents should consider doing in an effort to encourage their children to feed. For instance, it is advisable for parents to give their children a heads up. This is because children may be too agitated or exhausted from play activities that they may not want to eat. Therefore, by giving a child heads up, parents will be giving him/her an opportunity to transition into mealtime (Birmingham & Treasure, 2010). As already indicated, parents should establish a routine as children tend to be more comfortable when things are kept the same and more predictable. 

Conclusion 

Children who do not exhibit normal eating habits such as being picky may be suffering from eating disorders. Parents should educate themselves on how best to encourage their children to feed, and consider the steps that have already been discussed above. Notably, if mealtimes are pleasant, chances are that the child will look forward to eating. Negotiating or offering bribes to a child for them to eat usually establishes a power struggle between the parents and the children. That is why parents should never make deals when a child refuses to eat, as they will learn to make deals in future when they want other things 

References 

Anderson, N.K., & Nicolay, O.F. (2016). “Eating disorders in children and adolescents.” Seminars in Orthodontics , Volume 22, Issue 3. Pp. 234 – 237. 

Birmingham, C.L., & Treasure, J. (2010). Medical management of eating disorders . New York: Cambridge University Press. 

Couturier, J. (2007). “New developments in child and adolescent eating disorders.” J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry , v. 16(4). Pp. 151 – 152. 

Familydoctor.org. (2017). “ When your toddler doesn’t want to eat .” Retrieved on 23 November, 2018 from https://familydoctor.org/when-your-toddler-doesnt-want-to-eat/ 

Farrar, T. (2014). “Eating disorders in children.” Retrieved on 23 November, 2018 from https://www.mirror-mirror.org/child.htm 

Lask, B., & Bryant-Waugh, R., eds. (2013). Eating disorders in childhood and adolescence . New York: Routledge.