When your child doesn't eat during family mealtimes, and says he doesn't have an appetite, your first response may be to worry. The reasons for a child's loss of appetite are many, but they are not all bad. Learning about your child's growth patterns and why he may not feel like eating can help you understand the condition without becoming overly nervous about your child's well-being.
Healthy Reasons for Appetite Loss
Children grow at different rates; you may find your child eats every hour when she's in a growth spurt, and other times picks at her food. This type of appetite loss is not usually cause to worry, according to Canada's The Hospital for Sick Children's AboutKidsHealth service. Children under the age of five are prime candidates for an appetite slump, because they are growing at a relatively slow rate and self-adjust to meet their lower caloric needs. If she is not otherwise acting or looking sick, ride out the lower appetite until growth and development picks up.
Causes for Concern
When a child loses weight because he doesn't feel like eating, can't keep food down or talks about wanting to lose weight, it's time to consult a doctor. Many medical conditions can contribute to a loss of appetite, ranging from the short-term stomach bug to more serious conditions that affect the digestive system and can hamper the absorption of nutrients, such as celiac and Crohn's disease.
Loss of appetite can be a side effect of medications, including chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer and medications used to minimize the symptoms of ADHD.
Eating disorders such as anorexia may appear as a loss of appetite, but go much deeper than the physical and often involve self-esteem and issues dealing with low self-image. One of the signs of an eating disorder is that your child might eat extremely small portions of food or not allow himself to eat at all when the rest of the family is enjoying a meal.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a low appetite vary according to the reason for the condition. Some children may appear distracted and not interested in their food, while others are put off by the smell or the sight of a meal during an illness. Gagging, vomiting and generalized stomach pain can accompany a loss of appetite. Signs can include unintentional loss of weight or the fact that your child has not gained any weight in six months, according to The Hospital for Sick Children.
Treatment
Treatment requires a physical examination and possibly diagnostic testing to determine if anatomical abnormalities or other medical conditions are making your child feel nauseated or unable to hold down food. Resolving an underlying problem can bring back your child's appetite quickly in some cases.
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship suggests that parents of children who can't eat due to chemotherapy experiment with a number of foods that might entice your child to eat; foods that your child used to like might taste different post-chemo and could put him off from eating. ADDitudes Magazine urges parents and caregivers to adjust medication dosages and time the administration of medication appropriately to minimize the side effects of psycho-stimulant drugs, including loss of appetite or nausea.
A child who seems obsessed with losing weight may require a psychological evaluation to diagnose and treat an eating disorder. Treating the mind and the body together can be an effective way to return your child to his previously healthy state.
Support
Your child's pediatrician can refer you to a dietitian, mental health professionals if needed and support groups that relate to your child's specific cause for a decreased appetite.
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