Children’s reluctance to eat usually stems from not developing good eating habits from a young age, perhaps due to excessive snacking that diminishes interest in regular meals. If this situation worsens, it could lead to the development of anorexia. Therefore, establishing the right dietary concepts is crucial, reducing snack intake, encouraging main meals, and emphasizing personal dietary hygiene. Parents should play an active role in this process and lead by example.
At the dining table, children often fidget or refuse to eat, prompting parents to resort to rewards or punishments to motivate them: “Finish your meal and you can go out to play” or “a toy reward”. Even so, sometimes children still do not cooperate, leading parents to run out of patience and resort to forceful measures to make them eat. Loss of appetite in children may be due to digestive issues or zinc deficiency, which directly results in decreased appetite.
To improve this situation, the following methods can be attempted:
Use digestive aids such as Simethicone, Lactase Enzyme, etc., to help improve digestion for the child.
Confirm zinc deficiency through trace element testing and, if necessary, use zinc gluconate supplements.
Encourage children over the age of three to eat independently, set fixed meal times and portion sizes, and clearly explain the rules between meals: missing a meal means waiting until the next one, during which only water is allowed, and no snacking. This helps children develop a regular eating routine. It is important to maintain a pleasant atmosphere during meals, avoid blame or arguments to prevent children from seeing eating as a burden. Occasionally letting children experience hunger is beneficial, and they should not be overly dependent on snacks. Family members should use a uniform educational approach, ensure consistent rule enforcement, and stay away from toys and television during meals, focusing attention on the food.
