EYES ON PARENTING

Kids who are stubborn with food may be more than just ‘picky eaters’

Dec 12, 2017, 4:38 AM

If you’re having trouble getting your child to eat, it might not just be because they are “picky eaters,” according to a local expert.

“I think the first that people think about when their child if having feeding difficulties is, ‘Oh, my child is a picky eater’ or, ‘They don’t eat their vegetables,’” said Ramya Kumar, a speech language pathologist and feeding therapist with Banner Health.

“It can be that, but we’re also looking at more extreme things,” such as difficulty swallowing, she said. “Babies that are choking every time they’re bottle-feeding or breast-feeding.”

Some children who will only eat specific foods, such as chicken nuggets from a specific brand, may have difficulty with certain textures in their mouth, Kumar said.

If that is the case, Kumar said parents should encourage their children to eat their food but should approach it in a more sensitive way.

Parents should also pair foods that their child is less fond of with foods that they do like to make it easier for them to eat.

Kumar suggested that parents let the “fun” extend to grocery shopping and food prep so their kid has more time to interact with the different tastes, colors and smells of new foods.

“So those are all activities that can be incorporated into feeding,” she said.

But if parents are seeing extremes like constant gagging or meltdowns, they should not be afraid to consult the child’s doctor, Kumar said.

Eyes on Parenting

(Pexels Photo)...

Griselda Zetino

Complaints of ‘inappropriate lessons’ reported to Arizona Empower Hotline being investigated

An investigation into half a dozen complaints is underway following the launch of the Arizona Empower Hotline early last week.

3 months ago

(Pixabay Photo)...

Taylor Kinnerup

Report shows Arizona child drownings in 2021 doubled from previous year

A recent report shows 44 children in Arizona died from drowning in 2021, double the amount from the year before.

7 months ago

(Pexels Photo)...

KTAR.com

Teen arrested for allegedly accidently shooting 17-year-old in Phoenix

A 16-year-old boy was arrested Friday afternoon following a fatal shooting in Phoenix, authorities said. 

1 year ago

(Pexels Photo)...

KTAR.com

1-year-old in extremely critical condition after drowning incident in Phoenix

A 1-year-old girl was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition after drowning in a pool in Phoenix on Saturday, authorities said.

2 years ago

(File Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)...

Griselda Zetino

Arizona students get lower standardized test results during the pandemic

Results from statewide testing done in the spring provide a first look at how the pandemic has impacted students across Arizona.

2 years ago

(Pexels Photo)...

KTAR.com

10-month-old in critical condition after drowning incident in East Valley

A 10-month-old boy in the East Valley was hospitalized Sunday evening following a drowning incident, authorities said.

2 years ago

Sponsored Articles

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

(Photo: OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center)...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

Here’s what you need to know about OCD and where to find help

It's fair to say that most people know what obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders generally are, but there's a lot more information than meets the eye about a mental health diagnosis that affects about one in every 100 adults in the United States.

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...

Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.

Kids who are stubborn with food may be more than just ‘picky eaters’