Female FocusYour Healthy magazine! Page 14
Mother & Baby Corner
Helen, who is Clinica Tarraula’s Health Visitor, will be pleased to answer all your questions. Please write to her at: Clinica
Tarraula or e-mail her on: healthvisitor@ctonlineclinic.com
During my years of working with parents of young toddlers a common concern seems to present again and again. The fact that
their child seems totally disinterested in eating and either eats very little or will only seem to eat one certain food and so parents
spend hours coaxing and offering a variety of food which is most often refused by their child.
Mealtimes becomes a real battle of wills almost and I have met parents who are so worried about this that they become totally
stressed and it affects their sleep or their feeling of well being.
It may help to know that this is quite a common worry for many parents of toddlers who have appetites that vary according to
growth spurts and the amount of physical activity they may have had during the day. Sometimes it may be that they are too
tired to eat or simply that they do not feel hungry.
Another factor is that they are developing their play skills and simply feel too busy to eat! Or it may be they are still having milk
from a bottle (not really necessary at this age) but this fills them up and so it is more familiar or
easier for them than trying other food.
The following tips may help you to make a plan that will suit your family:
* Have regular mealtimes. It is important to establish a routine and sit down with your toddler
to eat e.g. twice or three times a day.
* Turn off the television and chat at mealtimes instead.
* Start by serving a small helping.
* With food refusal, stay calm and do not force your child to eat. Offer a range of foods on the
plate and allow your child to choose and make mealtimes fun.
* Have family meals if possible, your child will then see everyone eating and copy.
* If the family meal in the evening is too late, your child may be too tired and you may need to
feed him/her earlier.
* Try to ensure he/she has a daily nap.
* Give healthy snacks e.g. fresh fruit, yoghurts, plain biscuits, cheese etc.
* Try to encourage drinking from a cup and it may be 3 or 4 drinks of milk over a planned period, will be enough depending on
the age of your child.
* Give lots of positive attention at mealtimes with praise for even attempting to eat the food including touching it.
* It may help during the day to include your child in the preparation of some of the food. They will enjoy this even although
they are still very young and may encourage them to eat it!
* Try to remember your toddler will not starve.
* There are good vitamin supplements which can be purchased at your health shop or pharmacy especially for toddlers and
these could be really beneficial at this time.
CLINICA TARRAULA
www.ctonlineclinic.com
Clinica Tarraula’s Children’s Clinics
for the under 5s are free weekly clinics.
Helen holds these clinics every
Wednesday in our La Plaza Clinic in
Javea from 2 – 7 pm. No appointment is
necessary so if you would like some
advice do come and talk to her. For
information about any of our services
please telephone 96 579 41 79.
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