Despite the fact that in today's world standard of beauty and harmony of appeal is considered, if not more than - thinness, without exception, mothers want to see their kids well fed. And not only my mother, and all the compassionate family trying to feed a skinny kid, with each of the adults feeding crumbs as he considers necessary for the child to put on weight. The main issue in the family - "the child does not eat, what to do? ".
Too many parents believe that for the normal development of the child requires a large amount of food, and by hook or crook, and if the child eats very badly, they are, despite the reluctance and protest of the child, make him eat whatever he put in a bowl. And oh, how times put not a little portion and an adult would be enough to head. As a result, the baby, sobbing and choking, compelled by force to eat the food offered to him.
Such coercive measures will not bring food to the desired result, but problems can create a very, very much. For example, the sad result of force-feeding can be:
- Aversion to all food. If a child is forced to eat through force very soon he developed persistent subconscious reflex aversion to food. Any attempt to feed a child will lead to uncontrollable fits of vomiting. As a result, the child will have even less than now - the circle closes, the problem will only worsen low weight.
- Violation of the normal process of digestion. In that case, if the baby will receive more food than it requires for normal operation, inevitably come overload digestive system. The consequence could be a violation of its normal operation and, as a consequence, the occurrence of diarrhea and even dysbiosis.
- Overweight. The above are the most common result of force-feeding a baby. Much less, but still sometimes encountered such a complication as an overweight child. Driving its origin to banality is simple - the body constantly receives an excessive amount of food, in the end - all, adapted and rebuilt, leaving the child there is a tendency to the formation of excess weight. But being overweight is not your child will bring nothing but the sea of problems.
By the way, the problems will be the most diverse - ranging from the complexities of the health-ending psychological problems. So is it worth for the sake of their ambitions to grow their own hands out of your child's self-doubt and a notorious man?
Is there a problem?
Before raising a panic about the insufficient weight of your child, make sure that the problem is a lack of body weight of your child really exists. All pediatricians has consistently faced with cases where the frightened mother turn to him with complaints that the child weighs a little.
But during the inspection and weighing of the baby turns out that the kid, despite all the fears of mothers and "horror stories" of relatives, fully meet the age requirements. In addition to age norms doctors take into account such an important aspect as the harmonious physical development or, in other words, the line height and weight.
But the parents of very young child must be very attentive and immediate response to the deterioration of the child's appetite. Unfortunately, as a rule, if the baby does not eat, the doctors detected serious health problems. For example, lack of appetite in the newborn child may indicate serious complications such as intestinal obstruction. If 3 month old baby does not eat well, you can suspect the crumbs goiter.
Thin kid
If your concerns were not in vain, and after examination and evaluation of the physical parameters of your child's doctor will confirm underweight, you must find out the reason. Independently it is also impossible to make parents, so you should give this occupation doctors - pediatricians.
Doctors distinguish between two types of thinness:
- Healthy leanness. In this case, the increased slenderness of your crumbs caused only by a genetic predisposition to a small body weight. As a rule, any mom or dad, and sometimes both parents at once and can not boast a particularly large size clothing. It is believed that in such cases, a low body mass growth crumbs must also be small enough. However, this is pure delusion - there is a lot of thin, but tall people who have absolutely no health problems.
- Pathologic leanness. In that case, if the deficit is not due to the weight of the physiological features of the body of your child or hereditary factors, and what - or systemic diseases of vital organs, doctors say it is a pathological thinness. In order to help your child gain the necessary weight, the adjustment of one diet is not enough, the baby needs treatment of the underlying disease.
Many parents complain not only low weight, but mostly on the child's poor appetite, until its complete absence. But things are not so simple - to clearly answer how to make a baby to eat, it is difficult. Absence or appetite loss in children can be caused by many different factors:
The fact that the illness appetite in most cases disappears completely, any person periodically suffers from. And children do not become an exception to this rule. For example banal acute respiratory illness or chickenpox can completely discourage the child's appetite. As a result of the illness of a child can significantly lose weight.
Parents should not be scared of this phenomenon - after your baby will recover and return to his appetite, he quickly returned to previous form. However, remember to smooth and gradual return to the usual power circuit. This is necessary in order not to overload the digestive system of the child.
If your child does not eat very much, refuses even earlier favorite foods, but no health problems had been detected, doctors pay attention to the psychological state of the child. The reasons for the loss of appetite for a baby can be a variety of factors, such as problems with peers or teachers in kindergarten, force-feeding. All of this keeps the baby in a constant nervous excitement that can not affect adversely on his appetite.
By the way, very often the child does not eat in the garden because of the conflict with teachers.
Another very common cause of failure of the baby food is banal sibling rivalry, especially when the family appears youngest child. In such cases, when the reason for not eating are psychological factors, parents should consult a child psychologist, who will tell you how to deal with these problems and return the child to a normal appetite.
In the event that a loss of appetite in the child is accompanied by an increased lethargy, apathy, fatigue, parents need as quickly as possible, seek medical help. Such a child needs immediate examination by a doctor and a number of diagnostic tests - a general analysis of blood and urine tests, ultrasound diagnostics of internal organs. Unfortunately, like most of the child's condition indicates a serious condition that requires immediate treatment.
Worm infestation
It's no news that the presence of parasites in the body of the child is also often leads to the loss of a child appetite. And if your pipsqueak has a low weight and poor appetite, do not exclude this possibility - must pass inspection for the presence of parasites in the body of the child. Perhaps this is the reason why a child does not eat.
Do not look for what you can not see the baby worms in the stool - that does not mean that they are not in the body of the child, and there are a variety of worms, not always visible to the naked eye. Particularly high risk of catching the worms in those children who have a habit of dragging everything into the mouth, and in the event that the animals live in the house.
Many parents neglect the need to carry out periodic maintenance worm infestations. According to doctors in this regard are not always the same - some doctors advocate for regular preventive maintenance, while others believe that toxic pharmacological agents have not only a devastating effect on the parasites, but also a negative impact on the child's body. Probably the best decision in this situation would be regularly screened for the presence of parasites, and if they are found - treatment.
Violation of the regime of the day
Very often problems with underweight result from problems with normal daily routine. Adequate daily routine is essential for the full harmonious development of the child. If you realize that your daily routine needs to be adjusted, be sure to start as quickly as possible to correct them.
It is very important that the child knew exactly where he needed to go to bed in the evening. A healthy night's sleep is very important for the growing organism - do not neglect them. In just a few hours before bedtime exclude all irritating factors that can have a stimulating effect on the nervous system of the child and prevent restful sleep.
No less attention should be paid to the issue and morning awakening. It is much wiser to get up half an hour earlier, at rest to come into the garden, on the way to communicate with the baby, and not to become hysterical because of the fact that you can not in a hurry to find some - some thing to fly headlong into the garden. You understand that breathless overdriven child is unlikely to be full breakfast. It is from such trifles, and begin serious problems with a child's appetite.
Force-feeding
On the issue of force-feeding of the child mentioned above. But this is to talk in more detail. The fact that the food in addition to meet the physiological needs of the body for nutrients should bring moral satisfaction, do not need any evidence. However, when it comes to baby food, adults too often it simply - simply forgotten. But a favorable atmosphere for the child during the meal is not less important than for an adult.
Imagine a situation where you have someone during a meal is very much offended. It is unlikely that you will be able to continue to have the same appetite. But your child - the same man with the same feelings and emotions. And your "eat immediately! "Only exacerbate the situation. You do not want your child's meal for your child foods associated with burning resentment and bitter tears?
Also, do not forget about this particular child psychology, as the spirit of contradiction, especially strong development in children of two - three years. The more active you are forcing your child to receive food, the more it will resist any attempt to feed him, even if in fact the baby is hungry. In this situation, it makes more sense to give the child the right to choose - there or not.
Diet baby
However, in any case can not let the process take its course - if you want, go eat, do not want - do not eat. You should not have to force the child, but in any case should not be allowed "kusochnichestva" - snacking between meals. Of course, that every mother tries to feed a child than ever - ever - and it is the first request gives the child an apple, candy, cookies and the like.
Of course, that after all these snacks to persuade a child to eat a soup or chop will be almost impossible. Therefore, despite the most ardent and plaintive requests of your offspring, do not give your child any food between meals. And by the way, the same goes for drinks - milk, juice or tea are able to kill the appetite is very kid. If your child is thirsty, offer clean drinking waters. Often, it is snacks are the reason that the child was bad there.
Play during meals
As you know, the game is for the child is a vital element of development. Play will interest your baby. In - the first, the child should be strictly defined its place at the table. Pay attention to the dishes - along with the baby, choose a beautiful utensils designed specifically for him. As a rule, a pipsqueak actively eating the dish that my mother put it in the bowl to re-examine the picture on the bottom plates.
Carefully watch your baby, especially for his taste preferences. Avoid those foods that your child likes to offer as much as possible. Be sure to consider his taste preferences - it will help to avoid many problems. For example, a child does not eat vegetables. Do not force him to do it forcibly - best offer him a piece of meat or fruit, the child does not eat porridge - offer him soup.
Do not forget that the appetite of the child negatively affect the lack of any - or vitamins. Consult with your doctor - a pediatrician, a vitamin and mineral complex optimally right for your baby. And do not forget about natural sources of vitamin - vegetables and fruits.
And finally, it is necessary to mention the most important features of the body of the child of three - five years. At this age, to develop and maintain a normal life must be much less nutrients than any other age. That is why a small child does not eat. And the only task of parents - to see to it that the baby diet was full and varied.
