Introduction: Isn’t it just [the parents] [control] [etc]?
All children are the same, right? And come with a manual that works for all of them, right? Haha, who are we kidding! We all know that our children are wildly different and it’s the same with fussy eating.
The reasons for fussy eating are complicated, numerous and changing (even within the same child ). Understanding specifically why it’s happening with your child really matters and provides the foundation for finding the right tools to cope.
Once Sprout is live (coming soon!!), your first step will be to focus on understanding your child; their temperament, sensory system and how their body works, to unearth how their unique combination of factors impact their eating habits.
In the meantime, we will be sharing the 8 core reasons for fussy eating over the next week to help you start thinking about the factors most relevant to your child.👍
Contents
Introduction: Isn’t it just [the parents] [control] [etc]?
Fear of new foods – Neophobia.
Temperament matters for fussy eating.
Sensory overload and fussy eating.
Life events affect fussy eating.
Fear of new foods – Neophobia
The first reason for fussy eating…the fear of new foods or ‘Neophobia’.
A pretty normal part of early childhood, believed to be an evolutionary development in toddlers to prevent them from trying new foods which could have caused them harm. It’s hard to imagine, but to your child, a poisonous berry or a sandwich cut in triangles, not the usual squares, are no different. Both are new and both are something to be wary of. Just remember, it’s not always logical…it’s a phobia!
Lots of children transition through the neophobic stage – it’s the reason why you may have heard people say ‘oh, it’s just a phase’. However, for many others, there are other factors at play, and this is when longer term fussy eating can begin.
Temperament matters for fussy eating
The second reason for fussy eating is…Temperament.
This is all about understanding your child’s characteristics and in particular, the three traits that research shows are linked to fussy eating…cautiousness, flexibility and emotion.
🥺Cautiousness: If your child is naturally more cautious than others (more cautious about the dark, odd noises, pets and animals, strange people with beards) they will naturally be more cautious about the food they eat.
🧐Flexibility: If your child prefers a more rigid routine, it becomes super easy to slip into the habit of giving them the same foods over and over. It’s a lot more difficult to keep variety on the menu when they may not react well!
😭Emotion: If your child gets upset more easily, you’ll often seek to avoid emotional outbursts by giving them what they want – because meltdowns are exhausting for you and your child.
Being overly cautious, loving a structured routine and being highly emotive are not a bad thing. Sometimes these traits mean that your kids are careful when it comes to risks, are less likely to get themselves in trouble, and very empathic and tuned in to the feelings of friends and family members. If we ourselves tune in to our child’s natural characteristics we can learn more about what they feel about eating and mealtimes. Only then can we find ways to improve their eating in ways that make them feel comfortable and plays to their strengths rather than against them.
Anxiety causes fussy eating
Nerves really do fill the stomach!
Think about the last time you were super nervous…that job interview, major presentation, or exam! Were you able to sit down and eat a large meal beforehand? Unlikely!😣
Our brains and guts are very closely linked, and if your child is feeling scared, anxious, or worried they will release stress hormones. This can make them feel physical symptoms such as a raised heart rate ❤️, needing to go to the toilet💩, and/or a decreased appetite🤐.
Put yourself in your child’s shoes to spot the signs and understand the things that might be causing their worry at mealtimes.
Also be aware, children are especially in tune with the feelings of adults around them – because they look to adults to know whether the environment is safe. If you are feeling worried about your child’s eating, it’s likely your child can pick up on it, and they may start feeling worried too. Becoming familiar with your own feelings around food and mealtimes can really help you to help your child…without changing anything!
Find that hard? Tapping into and addressing our own worries as parents, is a major part of our approach at Sprout.🥳
Life events
Life events can be stressful for children (even the positive ones!). We all know that when we are anxious or stressed it can impact our appetite.
Remember your own appetite when you feel stressed?
If a child finds eating difficult, it may be even more difficult for them at times when they feel unsettled, tired or distracted by something else going on in their lives.
Can you think of any events (moving house, new school, family illness or birth of a sibling) that might have impacted your child’s eating? Or think back to when you first noticed difficulties with your child’s eating, what else was going on at that time?
Oral Motor Skills
Have you ever tried eating with a numb mouth after being at the dentist? It can be hard enough to avoid the embarrassing situation of drooling all over your chin, let alone being able to focus on eating! 🤤
Children do not develop their adult chew until they are well into toddlerhood and therefore, shy away from challenging textures to simplify eating.
If children turn away from foods that are tricky to eat, it’s very common for parents to stop serving them (understandably!) – sometimes this means children get less practice and exposure to these foods and they end up being dropped from the diet over time.
For most children, eating skills naturally improve with age…practice makes perfect.
Body Function
The human body is like a large machine that needs all its systems working at full capacity to function at its best. Many body issues can feed (excuse the pun!) into how kids eat. However, there are three most frequently experienced; reflux, constipation (less than 3 poos a week), and food allergies. All three have one thing in common - they create negative associations between a physical experience(s) and eating!
Imagine you have a pair of new shoes that pinched your toes and gave you a blister. You like those shoes, but the blister is painful, and you've had the pain for weeks. Do you carry on wearing those shoes? Or do you associate those shoes with your blister and decide you’re best off not wearing them? You may even be hesitant when buying your next pair of shoes for fear they will cause the same problem!
Constipation, allergies and/or reflux represent the blister in your child’s eating. They can all cause pain, discomfort or anxiety that can have a long-term impact on your child’s willingness to eat and try new foods.
Sensory overload and fussy eating
Eating is one of the only things that consistently uses all 8 (yes 8, not 5!) senses at once!
As well as the well-known 5 (smell, sound, sight, touch, taste), the other 3 are…
Body awareness (Proprioception) – this is the sense of where our body is in space. It’s critical for sitting at the table and coordinating our body to use cutlery and feed ourselves.
Vestibular – this sensory system is to do with motion and where our head is in space. It’s important for maintaining posture and making sure you don’t lose your balance and fall off your chair when you tilt your head back to drink!
Interoception – this is all about our internal sensations – like hunger, fullness, our heartbeat, needing to go to the toilet and emotions. When children struggle with interoception they may find it hard to tune into feelings of hunger and fullness – or they may get REALLY HUNGRY very suddenly – because they didn’t notice the early warning signs.
We all experience senses differently. With so many factors at play, it can get a little complex, so it’s clear to see why this can be a reason for fussy eating!
Picking through the 8 senses and seeing which ones your child might have challenges with will go a long way to identifying the best strategies and tools to use.
Life events affect fussy eating
Life events can be stressful for children (even the positive ones!). We all know that when we are anxious or stressed it can impact our appetite.
Remember your own appetite when you feel stressed?
If a child finds eating difficult, it may be even more difficult for them at times when they feel unsettled, tired or distracted by something else going on in their lives.
Can you think of any events (moving house, new school, family illness or birth of a sibling) that might have impacted your child’s eating? Or think back to when you first noticed difficulties with your child’s eating, what else was going on at that time?
Conclusion: Not as simple as you thought right?
So there you have a quick overview of the 7 underlying causes of picky eating, not so simple is it. For a personalised profile of your child across these factors and more detail on what you can do about it head over to the Sprout Picky Profile.
This article was written by Lucy Neary our lead dietitian and Hazel Wolstenholme our lead psychologist.
