This is a guest post by Jan Gambino, author of Reflux 101 and an expert in infant/toddler acid reflux, feeding disorders, special needs and parents education. She writes at RefluxMom.
Picky eating is common and often occurs during the toddler years. After the intense growth and the seemingly easy going attitude about eating and drinking during the first year, the average toddler will often have a slower rate of growth and become more opinionated about what she eats and when.
Picky Eating May Include
- Eating a limited variety of foods.
- Avoiding one or more food groups such as: dairy, vegetables or fruits.
- Craving Carbohydrates such as crackers, bread, pasta.
- Requesting a particular type of food (for example: a child who will only eat French Fries from the local fast food restaurant or Brand X frozen chicken nuggets from the food store).
- Showing displeasure or having a tantrum when a new food is presented.
- Crying or refusing to eat when the favored foods are not available.
For more information about this normal stage, read my previous post about coping with picky eating.
Beyond Picky
A few children have significant difficulty eating a variety of foods and these worrisome symptoms needs to be discussed with the doctor. If your child has many or all of the symptoms of picky eating plus any of the concerns listed below, it is time to schedule an appointment with the doctor.
Worrisome symptoms that need to be discussed with the doctor
- Slow weight gain.
- Weight loss.
- Extremely limited diet that may lack key nutrients.
- Tantrums, fussiness or crying at meals or when food is presented.
- Fearful about eating or when food is presented.
- Choking, coughing or gagging when food is presented or when eating.
- Immature feeding skills (for example: eating pureed food only beyond infancy).
A toddler may be picky or beyond picky like my daughter due to a medical condition such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A food allergy, food intolerance or a digestive condition such as GERD, Celiac Disease, Lactose Intolerance or another condition may cause eating and digestion to feel uncomfortable or painful. A child may try to “fix” this problem by avoiding foods or food groups or even limiting intake. Other causes of extremely picky eating include: sensory issues (textures, temperatures and flavors cause discomfort) or an oral motor problem such as a swallowing disorder, aspiration or poor muscle tone. In addition, a learned pattern of eating or adapting to digestive discomfort may lead to behavioral issues. Sometimes a behavioral reaction to eating (turning away, crying) may occur due to an undiagnosed medical condition. It is always best to work with your child’s doctor to look at medical and behavioral causes of picky eating and developing a treatment plan together.
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