June 12, 2009
Making mealtime a success
Editor’s note: The following article was provided by Trista Neisen in the Marketing and Public Relations Department of St. Mary’s Medical Center, Evansville. The article is based on information and guidance from Dr. Elizabeth Clawson.
Articles from St. Mary’s Medical Center are featured monthly in the Message in rotation with columns by Dr. William Wooten, counselors at Catholic Charities and other contributors to “the Health Page.”
Feeding problems are a frequent issue for children and one that is often underrated by parents and pediatric professionals. Approximately 20 percent to 50 percent of toddler and pre-school age children are reported to have some mealtime problems or to be picky eaters. The percentage increases to 80 percent of children with identified special needs.
These problems can range from a child who requests specific foods to the child who completely refuses to eat any foods/liquids and relies on tube-feedings for nutrition.
“Most people think that feeding their child is going to be easy, but that’s not always the case,” said Dr. Elizabeth Clawson, head of the Feeding Disorder Program at St. Mary’s. “It is not uncommon for children to experience problems with eating that can impact their growth and development.”
While there are many causes of feeding problems, below are suggestions to encourage better eating habits with children who are developing strong opinions about what goes on their plate.
• Set an example by serving new foods to the entire family. Encourage tasting a bite and, if rejected, wait and try another time. Tasting has a more powerful effect on changing a food preference than just looking at a new food. Continue to have a variety of foods at meals and continue to try previously rejected foods. Often 10 or more tries are needed for the child to become willing to accept the new food.
• Plan to serve at least one food your child likes as part of the family meal. The rest of the meal should include portions of what is being served to the entire family. Avoid becoming a short order cook and don’t prepare extra dishes on demand. If you start making a separate meal for each child you will get frazzled and resentful, and your child won’t expand their food preferences.
• Serve kid-size portions. Big servings can be intimidating. Offer portions that are approximately one-fourth the size of an adult’s portion. If your child is still hungry, he or she can always ask for more.
• Don’t make the table a battleground. Fighting with your children over what they will and won’t eat creates negative feelings about eating, which can lead to even more pickiness. However, it is important to remember to praise your child for good eating practices.
• Refusing to eat is also one way of getting attention. Stay calm; making a scene only encourages this behavior. If a child learns that he or she can push your buttons by rejecting foods, mealtime will turn into a battle.
• Don’t pass your own food hang ups on to your kids. Be careful what/how you talk about foods. To ensure your child is hungry when it is time to eat, make sure they haven’t filled up on too many snacks or drinks in the late afternoon.
Watch out for juice and soda. Sugary drinks don’t offer the nutrition of milk, can lead to diarrhea, and fill kids up so they won’t eat as much as they need to. Kids who drink too much can seem finicky because they don’t have much room in their stomach for food.
Try to feed your child only when he or she is sitting down at the table or in a highchair. Stand-up eaters can become all day snackers who are picky at mealtime because they are not hungry. Don’t permit continuous nibbling.
Dr. Elizabeth Clawson received her training at the Kennedy Kieger Institute at Johns Hopkins and served as the Behavioral Director of the Pediatric Feeding Program at the Children’s Hospital in Richmond, Va., before joining St. Mary’s.