As preschoolers grow, they require a wide range of nutritious foods in order to develop properly. Any feeding problem that a preschooler has can interfere with his ability to grow and learn at a normal rate. While you’ll be able to deal with many feeding problems at home, take your child to the pediatrician if he stops growing or begins to lose weight.
Pickiness
Many preschoolers are picky eaters, but pickiness can become dangerous. If a child is especially particular, she can become malnourished. It’s easy to get into a power struggle if you try bribing the child to eat or refusing to let her leave the table until she’s cleaned her plate. Deal with a picky eater by letting her have some control. Involve her in grocery shopping, give her a choice between two meal options and praise her whenever she tries anything new.
Unhealthy Eating
Preschoolers who overeat or eat too many fatty foods may grow up to be overweight and unhealthy. It’s essential to teach preschoolers about healthy eating so they’re develop positive eating habits. Remove sugary candy and juice from his diet and feed him fruit and juice made from 100 percent fruit. Serve skim milk instead of whole and serve him smaller portions. Rather than sneaking vegetables into his food, let him cook with you so you can teach him about how vegetables are healthy and tasty.
Manners
As children grow too big for the high chair and join their families at the dinner table, they must start to learn how to eat and behave properly during mealtimes. Preschoolers will often eat with their hands, even when the meal is messy or hot. Remind your child to use her fork occasionally but don’t nag or scold her for using her hands. As long as everyone else at the table uses silverware correctly, she will too eventually. If she throws food or plays with it rather than eating, remove her from the table to take a break. Explain she must behave like a big girl at the table and let her come back to try again.
Medical Problems
Children who have developmental delays or disorders often struggle at mealtime. Children who have autism or related disorders often dislike certain textures and may gag while eating certain foods or refuse to eat altogether. These children may also have feeding or swallowing disorders. These disorders make it challenging for the child to get food into his mouth and thoroughly chew and swallow it. Any feeding disorder can cause a child to choke, so you must consult his doctor. She may recommend therapies that help the child learn to feed himself properly.
