Two weeks ago I stumbled into our local clinic without an appointment, begging to see my favourite pediatric nurse. I was at my wit’s end. My 8 month old baby had been refusing to eat for two weeks already. She would take three or four reluctant mouthfuls at each meal. My fridge was bursting with dozens of freezer bags filled with liquidized everything-a-baby-loves but she didn’t want any of it!
The nurse asked a few questions.
1. Could she be teething? Does she have a cold?
2. How is the texture of the food? How are her fine motor skills?
None of my answers could shed any light on the matter of my baby’s hunger strike.
Then the nurse handed me a suggested feeding schedule for an eight-month-old. I was very proud to see that I had been feeding solids and milk at the exact recommended intervals, but, oh boy, I had been giving double the recommended amount of milk at every liquid meal! I had been following the advice on the back of the formula tin. She obviously had no appetite left after gulping down twice the recommended amount of milk! We rectified the problem and she’s been munching away happily ever since.
An eating problem can be very complicated or extremely simple. Keep the following guidelines in mind. They will navigate you through the jungle:
1. It is a myth that children know what their bodies need. Blood sugar levels can tell you that you need ice-cream when you had just had some half an hour before! When your body needs energy, it will go for anything quick and tasty. Fish and veggies do not qualify. Ever seen a child sneak into the kitchen to steal a celery stick? Still, many children’s bodies need exactly that!
2. Write down the dislikes of your fussy eater. Now put on your detective hat and look for the culprit. Which of those foods contain known allergens (such as dairy, citrus, soy or wheat?) Which have a distinct texture that might be irritating your child? Arrange for tests if you suspect an allergy.
4. Encourage physical activity. Active children are better eaters.
5. Ask your doctor for a recommendation of a good food supplement. This will make up for those days at the red and yellow Drive Through…Taking vitamins and minerals in isolation has been compared to licking your roof when you have a zinc deficiency. It is not as effective as one would hope!
6. Allow your children to give input on what they would like to eat. Let them shop for groceries with you.
7. Have rules and traditions that protect meal time as a special family occasion. “No eating in front of the TV except over week-ends” or “Only those who can speak calmly and politely may stay at the table.” Research has shown that children from families that eat together three or more evenings per week have significant intellectual and emotional developmental advantages over those who do not eat together.
8. Lastly, plan your children’s meals as well as you can.
Use all the control that you have, without forcing the food issue too much. Emphasize eating as a favour you do your body, rather than a favour you do your mom. It is a matter of responsible living, not of obedience.
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This week’s article has been written by Hettie Britz. Hettie is married to a Gospel singer and music producer, Louis Brittz and they have 2 daughters and a son.
As a former speech, language and hearing therapist, Hettie worked in a multi-disciplinary practice alongside a paediatrician, psychologist, occupational therapist and other speech therapists. She gained extensive experience in therapy and parental guidance. She also pioneered an educational upliftment project in Proclamation Hill where she worked with many challenging children (and their extremely challenging parents!), dealing with everything from nutrition and computer skills to molestation and spiritual counseling. It was while working at this centre that her passion for children and parents started her on a new career path.
Since 2002 she has presented seminars across the country as well as overseas in churches, schools and corporate surroundings on a variety of topics related to Christian parenting and education. Her books “Kweek Kinders met Karakter” and “Kweek Gesonde Gesag” were published in 2007 and 2008, along with the English versions “Growing Kids with Character” and “Growing Kids through Healthy Authority”