Feeding problems: Refusing to eat

Many parents notice that around the same time their children learn to walk, their interest in eating seems to disappear. The logic behind this is fairly simple. Now that your toddler is mobile, he doesn’t want to slow down for anything – even food.

However, while it’s understandable that your child is very busy exploring the world, it’s also critical that he eats enough. Here are a few tips on how you can strike a healthy balance.
Look at food intake over the course of a week, rather than a day. Toddler eating habits can be erratic, and while they may refuse most of the food you offer them one day, they might eat properly the next.

Offer your child lots of finger foods and snacks that they can eat on the move. That way, even if they’re too distracted to sit still for a meal, they’re still getting enough nutrients.

Make sure that your child is getting enough fluids. Milk, juice, and water are all necessary for your toddler’s health. However, you may want to make drinks something that happen between, or after meals. Otherwise, your toddler may be filling up on fluids!

Add a multivitamin to your toddler’s diet – that way, you can be sure that they are getting the nutrients he needs, even when they’re too busy exploring to eat.

Lastly, limit junk food. If your child is eating healthy food when they do eat, then they’re probably getting his nutritional requirements. If they’re eating unhealthy snacks, they may not be. 

In most cases, your toddler’s refusal to eat is simply a case of there being something more interesting to do. However, if your child eats and drinks nothing for a day, you do want to refer to your doctor – there may be something more serious happening!