Question

My daughter is three years old and has always had a poor appetite, refusing to eat. I have given her many appetite stimulants, such as traditional Chinese medicine like ‘Pi Ke Xin’ and ‘Wang Shi Bao Chi Wan’. Although there was some initial effect, the results have ceased. What should I do?

Answer

Hello: Lack of appetite in children may be caused by the following reasons: 1. Excessive snacking; 2. Children with digestive system diseases or other chronic illnesses may have a decreased appetite due to the illness not being cured or the medication taken; 3. Additionally, insufficient sleep, zinc deficiency, picky eating, overeating, and excessive greasiness can also be causes. Here are some home care tips:

  1. Cultivate good eating habits. Provide meals to your child at regular intervals and in appropriate portions, reduce snacks between meals, and encourage them to eat a variety of foods without being picky or biased. Avoid distracting your child with laughter during meals or watching TV while eating, as this can affect gastrointestinal motility and digestive gland secretion, leading to indigestion. Do not eat while squatting, as this can cause belching, hiccups, and bloating, affecting the amount of food consumed.
  2. Increase the variety and creativity in meal preparation to stimulate your child’s appetite. At the same time, prevent excessive greasiness in the diet, as overly greasy food can affect digestion function and lead to a decrease in appetite. Pay attention to the balance of meat and vegetables, and focus on light dishes (such as rice, noodles, eggs, milk, vegetables, etc.), with fat foods as a supplement.
  3. Ensure adequate sleep. Children are most active during the day when they have had enough rest at night.