Your child's fussy eating may be a feeding problem
Here's what you need to do
Your child struggles to sit at the table with other family members at mealtimes and even the sight and smell of food can make them gag or vomit.
They probably have a list of just a few foods, that they consider ‘safe’ to eat.
You’re likely to be terribly worried because as a consequence of their fussy eating their health may have started to suffer. They may already be very slim and they really don’t have a lot of spare weight to lose if their eating gets worse.
You’d go as far as to say their lack of eating is interfering with their day-to-day life.
Some extreme fussy eaters have a condition called Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). It may have a medical or sensory cause or stems from your child having a bad experience with food like a choking episode or allergic reaction.
It won’t go away without professional help like feeding therapy and nutritional support.
You want to be able to speak to a professional who will take your worries seriously and dig a little deeper to get this solved, rather than churn out the same old feeding advice that doesn’t work…
If this sounds like your child it’s important you get the right help, often this is involves a referral to a feeding clinic.
The first step is to go to your GP and ask for a referral where specialist feeding therapists can carry out an individualised feeding assessment and work out the right plan for your child.
You might find the following blogs helpful:
How to help your child when you suspect sensory food aversions
Whats a picky eating ‘disorder’ and do I need to worry?
