My son does not eat: what to do?

Are parents' main concerns with their children always about their diet and health? since they are intrinsically associated.

There are not many reports of adults who despair, for example, to see that the baby is disinterested in food, fearing that this is a sign of a health problem.

However, this lack of appetite should not always be cause for concern. And it is usually part of the moment the child is living.

To understand this, it is crucial that parents have knowledge of how the baby is / should be fed at different stages of its development.

From 0 to 6 months? exclusive breastfeeding

Roseli Sarni, president of the Scientific Department of Nutrology of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP), points out that SBP recommends exclusive breastfeeding until the sixth month and, supplemented (read below), through healthy complementary feeding, up to two years of age. age or older.

• Breastfeeding allows the child to experience different sensory experiences, unlike the child who receives infant formula or cow's milk (always with the same taste). This is because there is great variation in the taste of milk according to the maternal diet? This is even fundamental to the future acceptance of other foods by the child. That is why it is very important to reinforce the healthy eating orientation for the breastfeeding mother ?, explains Roseli.

From 6 months? complementary feeding

From the sixth month of the baby's life, complementary feeding should be introduced, maintaining breastfeeding until 2 years of age or older, according to the guidelines of the SBP's Department of Nutrology Guidance.

Fresh fruits, preferably in the form of porridge, should be offered at this age, mashed, always spooned, or squeezed. Natural juices should be avoided.

The first main porridge should be offered from the sixth month, at lunch or dinner, according to the time the family is reunited, and the meal is completed with breast milk until the child is satisfied with the pope alone. The second major pope should be offered from the seventh month of life.

There are no restrictions on the concomitant introduction of different foods, but the meal must contain at least one food from each of the following groups: cereals or tubers; legumes; meat (cow, poultry, pork, fish or offal, in particular the liver) or egg; vegetables (vegetables).

The porridge should be kneaded, without sieving or liquefying, so that the fibers of the food are used and the consistency of puree.

That is, from 6 to 11 months, the breastfed child will be receiving three meals with complementary foods a day (two main porridge and one fruit).

At around 8 to 9 months the child can start receiving food from the family. And in the early days, it is normal for her to spill or spit the food, so this should not be interpreted as rejection.

For optimal feeding, it is recommended to start with small amounts of between 1 and 2 teaspoons, placing the food at the end of the spoon, and increasing the volume as the child accepts it.

From 12 months? adaptation to novel foods

From 12 months onwards, according to the SBP Department of Nutrology Guidance Manual, two meals a day should be added plus two snacks a day, with fruit or milk.

Pre-prepared processed foods, soft drinks, coffee, teas and sausages, among others, should also be avoided. The offer of coconut water (as a water substitute) is also not advisable for its low caloric value and for containing sodium and potassium.

It is very important to emphasize that the introduction of new foods of different consistency of breastfeeding is a moment of great learning for the infant, but also, as is new, it is a difficult time. Patience and gentleness, as well as reassuring words and positive manifestations, should complement the efforts of those who help in this initiation.

It is noteworthy that each child is unique, has their time to adapt to new foods, as well as preferences and new amounts of food. Thus, it is very important to respect the infant's self-regulation, not interfering with their decision not to want the food anymore.

In our culture, eating well means eating a lot, in addition to the false idea that eating too much becomes more resistant to disease.This explains the concern of many parents when their children refuse to eat all the food offered. However, excessively controlling and enforcing attitudes may induce the child to consume larger portions than necessary and to prefer hypercaloric foods.

Complementary feeding, although at more regular times than breastfeeding, should allow for little initial freedom in offering and timing. Thus, the child maintains the correct perception of feelings of hunger and satiety, an essential characteristic for proper nutrition, without excesses or deficiencies.

1 to 2 years? understanding food refusal

According to the SBP Department of Nutrology Guidance Manual, breastfeeding should continue in this age group. Meals should be similar to those of adults, but avoid processed foods rich in sugar, fat and salt. All types of meat and the like should be consumed, with active stimulation to the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

From the first year onwards, infants can be encouraged to take initiative in food selection and eating. Parents should offer varied, healthy foods in appropriate portions, allowing the child to choose what and how much to eat. Meals should be taken at a table or in a chair suitable for the child, with the family, in a calm and pleasant environment, with no television set or other distraction, as these are factors that provide satisfaction with the act of eating.

It is noteworthy that the complaint about refusal of food is very frequent in the second year of life, when the child's growth rate slows down significantly in relation to the first year and, consequently, also decreases their nutritional needs and appetite.

At this age, the child is naturally in the process of neophobia, where novelties are initially rejected. Therefore, you should be encouraged to eat various foods, with different tastes, colors, consistency, temperatures and textures, exploring your curiosity and fantasy.

It is estimated that about eight exposures to a new food are required before full acceptance. That is why it is important for the mother to be calm at this stage, as the initial refusals are expected?

This is exactly why patience, creativity and persistence are the main tools. Parents should never force, threaten, or associate negative events with eating. Neither should you be rewarded with extra offerings to the food being offered, in this way the child can be trusted in what he eats without reinforcing the neophobia.

With these guidelines it is clear that family eating habits and patterns play a key role in the child's eating behavior. This is exactly why it is very important for everyone in the house to come together in order to make eating times as pleasant as possible.

Moreover, a refusal or otherwise to a food by the child should not be cause for despair. However, when in doubt, parents should always seek professional guidance.

My Child Won't Eat: Diagnosing Pediatric Feeding Disorders (May 2024)