As parents, we know that picky eaters are a challenge to feed, especially when we are nervous that they are not getting enough calories and nutrients to fuel their growth and development. If growth is slow or delayed your child’s pediatrician or dietitian may order bloodwork to make sure there are no deficiencies causing the delayed growth. If there is no delay in growth or development, the situation is less urgent, and you have time to discover why the child is picky. There are many reasons, and it is important to evaluate the cause before trying to solve it.

Some children are slow to try new experiences in general. Others may may have had negative experiences with food in the past such as stomach pain, vomiting after eating, or tooth pain from food. If there an ongoing power struggle between the caregiver and child, food can be an additional point of struggle. Or, a child with sensory sensitivity may have a hard time with new tastes, smells, textures, etc. Finally, a child who has difficulty communicating his/her needs in general, may have a hard time expressing food related needs as well.

Even with the vastly different reasons behind picky eating, it is easy to fall into the habit of giving in to a picky child because “at least they are eating.”