Parents often worry when their child loses their appetite. They, of course, think that his lack of appetite will cause him to lose weight, that he will be severely deficient in vitamins and minerals, both of which will expose him to disease. We explain why children lose their appetite and what tests are recommended to find out the reasons.

Why do children lose their appetite?

Lack of appetite in children can have several reasons. It often happens between the ages of 2 and 5. In addition to physiological causes (teething, normal developmental stages, etc.), lack of appetite can occur due to illness (flu, colds, gastrointestinal infections, intestinal parasites), antibiotic treatment, or food intolerance. A number of psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety or depression, can be associated with loss of appetite. We explain them below.

1. Regressions of development

The reasons are so-called “developmental regressions”, when a child goes through difficult periods of change in his life – kindergarten, the arrival of a sibling, quarrels between parents, the loss of a loved one – which causes natural reactions of fear or disappointment. events In this case, lack of appetite is accompanied by malaise, even depression.

Regressions, except when they herald illness or traumatic events, follow the natural process of individual development and maturation. And all parents need to do is to understand his mood and help him overcome it with patience.

2. Opening of control

Another reason for the lack of appetite is explained by the development of emotions and some control. This causes him to become defiant, thus testing his ability to resist the things he must do.

Melanie Potok, pediatric speech pathologist, nutritionist, and author of Adventures in Veggieland, adds: “At this age, the child learns that he has a lot of control over his parents’ behavior and finds this job a lot of fun! Refusal to eat is a way of showing power.”

Experts say that no matter how tempting it is to stop giving him the foods he refuses, he will ONLY accept them again if you keep offering them. But you can try new ways to give them: they don’t want vegetables anymore, put them on pizza or turn them into meatballs in the oven; stop drinking milk, give him semolina porridge with milk and a spoonful of jam.

3. The menu is not varied enough

When parents, out of fear of rejection, tend to feed their children the same food they know they are eating, the child eventually rejects the new food. Over time, a lack of appetite appears, and later childhood obesity, because the favorite diet of babies consists, according to their tastes, of carbohydrates and sugar. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates and sugar in the absence of healthy nutrients (vitamins, fiber, calcium, ie fruits, vegetables, milk) can cause a significant metabolic imbalance in a child over time.

If he likes pasta with tomato sauce, add roasted peppers to this sauce. When they accept them, add the parmesan. Bread and butter? Give him bread with fish cream (initially with more butter, then increase the amount of fish). Chocolate chip cookies? Add small pieces of apples to the chocolate.

4. Rejection of solid food

It should also be mentioned the situation when the father says “he doesn’t eat anything/only drinks milk”, which, for the most part, is an exaggeration. If there are no medical problems associated with this situation (short inhibition of the tongue or motor delay that makes it difficult to chew food), observe the whole day and write down everything you put in your mouth: 3-4 spoons of soup, 2-3 pieces of sausage , 1 piece of apple You will calm down, but in the meantime, offer him milk after he eats, even if he eats fruit shakes or pureed soups for a while.

What tests can be done on a child and what they reveal

Lack of appetite in children may be associated with certain nutritional deficiencies. A study published in the journal Nutrients in 2021 found a link between selective infant feeding and zinc, iron and copper deficiencies.

Iron-deficiency anemia, which is not properly detected and treated, is associated with delayed motor and cognitive development in children. Zinc deficiency can also lead to impaired cognitive development, contributing to the development of anemia, neurological and hematological disorders. On the other hand, zinc deficiency can also cause low appetite. Children need increased calcium and magnesium intake, otherwise their bone growth may be impaired.

Most children between the ages of 1 and 5 who are described as “funny” are healthy and developing normally. But refusing to eat for a longer period of time should prompt parents to take the baby to a pediatrician/family doctor for an examination. The doctor will monitor the growth curve, the child’s menu and the general state of health. There is no standard list of examinations recommended for a child without prior consultation with a doctor.

However, if there are question marks after the physical examination, the doctor will recommend blood tests, urine tests, coproculture/coproparasitological examination, ultrasound/x-ray.

Here are the tests your pediatrician may recommend if your child has no appetite:

– general blood test – this is a blood test that can be used to find out whether there is anemia, possible bacterial, parasitic, fungal infections;

– coproparasitological examination and anal impression, tests that can determine the presence of an infection with intestinal parasites, such as pinworms, for example.

A child’s diet is based on the same principles as an adult’s. A child, like an adult, needs vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The differences lie in the amount of these nutrients, which changes as children grow.

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