Why is my child a fussy eater?

Do you have a fussy eater in your household? Or may be even two or three? Like many parents, in similar situations I imagine you’ve probably searched the internet widely for tips and inspiration on how to get your child to eat their veggies, or their meat…. or, for some, simply to eat something other than just white bread. It’s difficult at the end of a busy day to motivate yourself to cook a nutritious meal, knowing that the food will only get pushed around the plate, discarded on the side and knowing a battle will begin.

Many children go through phases of fluctuating eating habits. It is normal too for us all to have times when we are feeling hungry and times when we have little appetite. Often, this is dependent upon how we feel, our #energy levels and the activities we have been doing. We should be encouraged to listen to our appetites and sense of satiety as this is the way our bodies have been made to balance weight for example. It is fairly common for children to reduce their appetites around the age of two years, simply because their nutritional need has decreased following the early years rapid growth and development. You may find your #child eats a lot more during growth spurts and then again as they hit puberty. This is a perfectly normal pattern.

About 25% of healthy children are #pickyeaters and if your child has ASD, this increases to 80%. These are the children who continually refuse to eat certain food groups or even multiple food groups. They have become increasingly fussy for no apparent reason or perhaps they’ve always been picky.

Did you know that there may actually be an underlying reason for their fussiness?

For your child, it may not be so simple as just not wanting to eat or being difficult or awkward. There may well be underlying reasons.

1. Nutritional Deficiency

This is a tricky one as it’s like a catch-22. You may be concerned that your child’s