Can Starving a Picky Eater Solve the Problem?

Most cases of babies not loving to eat are caused by food stagnation. Many parents adopt the "hunger therapy" approach to deal with this situation. This coping method can sometimes yield short-term results, but the gastrointestinal tract of infants is different from that of adults. This "hunger therapy" does not guarantee the health of babies.

1. Complex Eating Environment: A complex eating environment can have a serious impact on a child's eating, such as excessive noise, having the TV on during meals, etc. In addition, young children have poor self-control when eating. They often eat to their fill when they see food they like. Most parents want their children to eat more during meals, and they prepare many nutritious foods that their children love. However, uncontrolled eating can easily lead to indigestion or even anorexia.

2. Parental "Hints": If children hear their parents talking about which foods are tasty or which they dislike, it actually has a hinting effect on them. They may also develop various ideas about the foods their parents discuss and become fond of or dislike certain foods.

3. Parental Overindulgence: If children like to eat high-sugar snacks and parents do not control it, their stomachs will always be full, and they will not feel hungry, naturally leading to a dislike for meals.

4. Improper Feeding: Adding supplementary foods too late can affect a child's chewing ability. Poor development of chewing function will make children less likely to enjoy foods other than liquids and dairy products.

5. Poor Lifestyle Habits: Sleeping little, engaging in little activity, overplaying, irregular meal times and meal portions... These irregular lifestyle habits can weaken gastrointestinal function and lead to a dislike for eating.

There are many reasons why children don't like to eat. When encountering a child who doesn't like to eat, parents should analyze the reasons. If they indiscriminately adopt "hunger therapy" to solve the problem, it may backfire and even lead to anorexia in children, causing more serious health issues.

Babies' dislike for eating may be caused by food stagnation. In such cases, parents can give their children products that promote digestion and appetite, while helping them establish regular eating habits. They should avoid using medication arbitrarily. In daily life, parents should control their children's food intake, pay attention to feeding them regularly and quantitatively, and not allow them to eat any snacks an hour before meals. If a child has gastrointestinal problems, foods such as coicis seed, chicken gizzard lining, Chinese yam, white lentils, malt, dried tangerine peel, etc., can be added to their diet to help digest and resolve food stagnation. In fact, the issue of a baby's diet should focus on prevention, paying attention to the regularity and nutrition of their meals from an early age. Otherwise, trying to find solutions after the problem arises may not be smooth, and the child's health may already be compromised by then.