Increasingly often, children experience eating disorders related to selective eating. What causes this, what are the symptoms, and how does it affect further development? The first taste sensations appear in the womb; at around 21 weeks, the baby has a fully developed sense of taste. This is precisely when the variety of the mother’s diet influences which flavors her child will prefer.
The next important stage is the introduction of solid foods, at around six months of age. Until then, children fed breast milk mainly experienced a sweet taste from the milk. Therefore, when introducing new foods, we must not become discouraged when a child starts spitting out broccoli, spinach or peas, because their taste buds need to learn variety. Let us offer a new flavor up to 10 times before deciding that the child does not like it. In addition, a child who is already stable in a sitting position should be seated at the table and offered various foods to try. At first, an infant may eat with their hands, which helps them learn about the consistency and temperature, and later the taste and smell of the meal.
Regardless of whether we introduce foods using the BLW method (eating with the hands) or serve puréed food, it is important that the diet be as varied as possible. At an early stage, particular attention should be paid to the amount of sugar provided, both from sweets and from fruit, sweetened yogurts and mousses. Too much sugar may discourage children from other flavors and lead, among other things, to deficiencies such as zinc deficiency, which can contribute to selective eating.
Increasingly often, our young patients also experience sensory disorders—taste, smell or touch hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity. A particular consistency, color or smell may trigger gagging or choking, or we may simply encounter a refusal to eat even though the food has not actually been tasted.
For somewhat older children, sensory games can help make their diets more varied—for example, testing flavors blindfolded or with both the eyes and nose covered. All kinds of sensory play, in which children touch foods of different consistencies and colors, can also help address the problem. Cooking together can also produce beneficial results, as the child has the opportunity to test food and is stimulated by various aromas produced during cooking.
If, on the other hand, a young child clearly avoids touching food and immediately tries to wash it off their hands, continues to put various objects in their mouth despite being older, or often reacts with gagging or choking, it is worth seeking support from a specialist: a speech therapist, allergist, psychologist, dietitian or sensory integration therapist. Diagnostics should also be extended to investigate allergies, enlarged tonsils, a shortened frenulum or blood deficiencies.
Let us remember that selective eating leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which in turn intensify hypersensitivities and further reluctance. In addition, eliminating certain food groups may lead to malocclusion and later speech problems.
Specialists can help children overcome the barriers that make them reluctant to eat, conquer their fears and encourage them to try new foods.
Treating selective eating is not easy; it affects the entire family and is definitely an issue that should not be underestimated. Picky eaters who fuss, spit or reject food are not doing it to spite us; they are signaling a problem that, if ignored, may lead to further developmental difficulties.
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