Introduction
One of the biggest questions we get, ‘When to worry about picky eating?’ As a parent, worrying about your child’s eating habits and nutrition is normal. In fact, you’re not alone in feeling anxious about this. It’s normal to have concerns about your child’s nutrition and well-being. Whether your child is showing typical behaviours or struggling with a more severe picky eating, it’s very common.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the reasons why parents worry and provide guidance on when picky eating becomes a concern. Regardless of how picky they are, your feelings are valid. It’s important to address them in a way that promotes a positive relationship with food for your family.
Step 1. Consider if it’s a problem:
Let’s start with the basics. The first step to know when to worry, is to consider whether your child’s fussy eating is a problem for you or your child. Take some time to consider whether it is having an impact on nutrition, growth and wellbeing. Consider whether your child’s eating skills appear to be appropriate for their age. Also explore your own emotions around feeding, and whether your child’s eating is having an impact on family life.
A child’s eating is unpredictable by nature and it may be considered more of a problem if your child avoids one or more food groups. It may be they are experiencing significant changes in their weight or growth percentiles in a short space of time.
Eating is also not all about nutrition! Consider how your child manages with different textures and flavours. If they can self-feed and use a spoon. Whether they’re comfortable to participate when others are eating. We also invite you to think about the impact that feeding your child has on your own emotions and family life in general.
If you’re interested in reading more about how to tell whether or not your child’s fussy eating is a problem, check out the blog post “Is picky eating a problem? When to tell if it is an issue for your child!”
Step 2: Notice any changes
It’s normal for toddlers to limit their range of foods, have reduced appetite, and eat unpredictably. Check out this post on when picky eating typically starts. But, parents should think whether their child’s preferences remain stable or if they are drop foods without accepting new ones.
If you think back 6 months or a year ago, are there lots of foods your child ate that are no longer on their list? If so, it may be more cause for concern, and it may feel like time to address the issue.
Parents should also consider whether their child is showing any signs of curiosity by watching what other people are eating. Whether they ask about, or decide to pick up foods or play with them on their own accord.
If this is driven by the child (rather than in response to a prompt or request from an adult), it could be a sign that their curiosity is growing. These changes are going in the right direction, even if they are incredibly slow.
Don’t despair if you feel things are getting worse rather than better!
And if you notice changes...
There are things you can do to prevent your child from dropping foods. Taking charge of the menu plan for the family and rotating your child’s accepted foods as much as possible, can prevent your child from having the same food over and over again and getting burnt out.
A handy rule of thumb is to avoid serving your child the same food more than once every 2-3 days (if you have enough foods to work with – that is!). Even if you only have 3-5 foods on your list – rotate them as much as you can and try not to serve every food every day.
Always give your child an accepted food from the start of a meal or snack time – but don’t get alternatives if they decide they’re not in the mood that day! Offering alternatives when one food is refused can quickly result in issues. Less-preferred foods can be dropped from the list and children holding out for that tastier second option.
We’re here if you need more specific and personalised support to start making these types of changes. Sprout guides you through the process to wider variety and less worry. The place to start is understanding your child’s unique eating profile, so that you can find right strategies tailored to them.
Step 3: Be aware of other sources of your worry
It’s not uncommon for parents to feel worried about their child’s eating habits, even if their child is only a mild picky eater. These worries can stem from various sources, such as past experiences with food or feeding, even before their child was born. For example, if you grew up in a household where food was scarce, you might worry that your child is not eating enough. Or, if you had a sibling or friend with eating challenges, you may worry that your child is showing similar signs.
Furthermore, your level of worry may depend on whether or not your child’s eating habits fit with your expectations or what you are familiar with. For example, if you have other children who were easy to feed and ate a big variety, you may be worried that your picky eater is not getting the nutrition they need.
Lastly, parents may feel more worried if they don’t feel sure about how to respond to their child’s eating and food refusals. For instance, you may worry that your child will starve if you don’t offer them their favourite food, or you may feel guilty for not being able to provide a varied enough diet for your child. It’s important to acknowledge these sources of worry and seek support if needed. Remember, it’s okay to ask for help, and Sprout has many tools and resources available to support you through these feeding challenges.
So... When to worry about picky eating?
No matter the degree of your child’s fussy eating, if you feel concerned you deserve access to good quality information and support!
It can be difficult to know when to worry. Parents often wonder ‘am I worrying unnecessarily? Is this normal? Everyone’s telling me not to worry…am I just crazy?’ Know that feeding children is emotional, and your feelings are justified. But to help you get to the bottom of when you should be concerned:
1. Consider if your child’s eating is a problem
2. Think about whether there are signs of improvement or if it’s getting worse
3. Be aware of other sources of your worry – such as your previous experiences, your expectations, and whether you feel sure about how to respond to food refusals.
4. Try out our Free Picky Eater Quiz which will help you to figure out the degree of your child’s fussy eating, and the impact on your family.
