Can my toddler survive on goldfish crackers and milk?
The first year of life is a period of tremendous physical growth.
Babies often gain 15 pounds in that year. Between ages 1 and 5 years,
children only gain about 4 to 5 pounds a year. For this reason,
toddlers and preschoolers have a normal appetite slump. This slowed
growth and decreased appetite are very worrisome to parents, often
causing battles at meals and forced feedings. Children have a natural
instinct to know how much food they need. It is a parent's responsibility
to provide a variety nutritious foods at regular intervals during
the day, but it is the child's responsibility to eat (or not) those
foods given to him. Forced feedings will only take away the pleasure
associated with eating. The struggle over meals can be worsened
by a strong-willed toddler/preschooler trying to develop his autonomy
(normal behavior at this developmental stage).
Signs of a normal appetite slump:
- Child never seems hungry and eats only if spoon-fed by parent
- Child is between 1 and 5 years of age
- Child is healthy and growing along expected course
- Child still has lots of energy
- Child only wants a particular food for every meal "Food Jags"
- Eats one "good" meal a day
Home Treatment:
- Allow your child to self-feed by spoon or fingers - Do not feed
him!
- Limit milk to 16 ounces a day
- Limit juice to 6 ounces a day
- Offer water in between snacks and meals if thirsty
- Limit snacks to 2 a day
- Allow child to skip a meal if not hungry
- Serve small portions of food, if more is wanted the child will
ask
- Give a vitamin (usually unnecessary), if it makes you feel better
- Make meal times enjoyable - do not focus on eating
- Eat as a family as often as possible
- Eliminate the "Clean Plate Club" mentality you may have experienced
Call our office if:
- Think your child is losing weight from a decreased appetite
- Observe any symptoms of illness
- You have other questions or concerns
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