Question
My child is now 1 and a half years old. He has eczema, although it is not completely cured at present, the condition is manageable. The main problem now is that he is extremely picky about food, as he hardly eats anything (except breast milk, which is not enough to provide adequate nutrition), so he often wakes up several times at night. Please advise on what solutions there are, and help us.
Answer
Hello: Currently, many only children suffer from selective eating symptoms. The most important psychological factor causing children’s picky eating is compulsive eating behavior. Some parents often have compulsive tendencies when feeding their children. For example: using a spoon to feed them, using reward and punishment methods to stimulate their appetite, using delicious food to tempt them, allowing them to freely choose their food, providing snacks in addition to meals, even chasing them while they play and forcing them to eat. Many parents are worried about their children’s reduced appetite after six months of age. In fact, as children grow, their weight gain rate can slow down, and their eating volume will also decrease relative to their age. Attempting to make small eaters eat more often backfires. When forced to eat, children can normally refuse. From the age of 9 months to 3 years old, this feature is prevalent. Additionally, children may also develop conditioned reflexive refusal of food, every time food is offered, they will associate it with compulsive measures and punishment, making the child unhappy, causing mental stimulation and leading to picky eating.