These problems are usually experienced by the parents rather than the children themselves. Parents tend to worry about the amount of food their child does not eat, rather than what they do. They have fixed ideas about how much they should and should not eat, and become a little obsessed about ‘normal’ weights and ‘normal’ growth. Feeding problems usually begin at the age of about 6 months, when weaning from milk to solids take place.

Practical Advice

Generally, children should be encouraged to experiment with new foods without being ‘forced’ to eat certain things. Some toddlers tend to play slowly with their food, others are happy to be spoon fed by the parents. A good piece of advice is never to allow your child to see that you are concerned over what and how much they eat. Once they see a chink in your defenses, they are likely to play on it for the sake of gaining attention. Any parent worried about true nutritional deficiency, food allergy or failure to grow properly should consult a health professional. Children generally know what kinds of foods are good for them, though they do not know what is bad for them. If a child repeatedly refuses a food it is likely that it does not agree with him/her. Some restraint should be exercised, however, if the child constantly demands sweet and sugary foods and junk food and drink.

Homeopathy

Feeding problems respond well to individualized prescribing.