What to feed a hungry child?
Families of “weak children” with a low body mass index, in general terms, are concerned about their child’s low immunity and say, “My child is very weak. How can I make a weak child gain weight?”, “What should an anorexia child eat?” he asks. On the other hand, it is known that obesity brings health risks just like thinness. Dietitian Gülbu Tokcan shared with us her recommendations for healthy weight gain for underweight children.
As parents, we know that having a child with no appetite is an event that wears out the whole family. When a parent who knows the importance of healthy and adequate nutrition for the health, success and development of their child is left alone with a child who does not open his mouth, does not have an interest in tastes and does not consume food; experiences feelings of sadness and irritability together. In some cases, it may even support the wrong consumption of food, with the thought of “at least one or two bites in your mouth”.
It may not be as easy as it is said, but first of all, the child should not be allowed to move away from his body and awareness. There should never be coercion to prevent psychological eating disorders in the future. The child should consume by noticing what he/she eats, what taste he/she perceives, and how much he/she eats. Allowing this is very important for future eating disorders and body image.
Of course, there are steps and suggestions that can be taken to direct the child to a healthy diet by respecting the metabolic, structural and psychological state of the child.
1- First of all, it is necessary to allow the child to exist in the kitchen. It is necessary to allow the child to recognize foods and foods, to experience and realize that each food has differences such as color, sound, consistency, shape, texture, content, flavor and smell. This can be achieved by giving the child a task like a game while preparing food and setting the table. For example, giving children simple tasks such as sorting beans, chopping cucumbers into rings, and mashing while preparing puree will help them observe and realize these differences. The way he prepares, creates a story with food and food will also enable him to establish an emotional connection with the table. There is no doubt that his perspective on the food he will consume in this preparation, in which he is included, will change in a positive way. Of course, his appetite may not suddenly increase, but it is certain that a positive attitude will be formed towards the food he has prepared himself or with whom he has an emotional bond.
2- The mentality of “whatever he eats, as long as he gets fat” should be avoided. With this in mind, it will not be right in the long run to hold something to eat in every environment, in any way. In any case, offering regular meals and a variety of foods and encouraging them to try without forcing from time to time can cause a child to try when you least expect it.
3- The aim of the weak child with no appetite; is to give the right food to the small stomach. That’s why it’s important to take advantage of this opportunity. What to feed a weak and unappetizing child? In response to the question, for example, if the child is to drink a small bowl of soup, the content of this soup should be enriched in terms of taste and nutrition. Soups with bone broth, fine bulgur, vegetable broth, and lentils will increase nutrition and flavor. Seasoned soups made with egg + brown flour + yogurt can be preferred. Regardless of the soup, tiny meatballs prepared in the size of hazelnuts will still support protein and calories. If he is consuming an omelet in the morning, oat flour, some milk and an egg added to the omelet will enrich an egg.
4- If there is a food that he likes and consumes, you can support him to consume a healthy and nutritious food, first of all in a small amount, by increasing the amount of it, without spoiling its general taste. For example; If you are eating meatballs, you can enrich the meatballs with alternatives such as finely chopped parsley, garlic, and fine bulgur. If he likes mashed potatoes, you can add carrot and vegetable puree gradually and enrich the variety he eats.
5- After a while, the foods prepared specifically for the child by saying “he will not eat this” can cause a vicious circle. To prevent this, make sure to include some kind of different food on your table. Do not allow the child to break away from this diversity to get out of the comfort zone he has created.
6- If the child wants to consume junk food, home-prepared foods should be included instead of packaged food, taking into account loss of appetite and growth. Instead of cookies containing only flour, sugar and oil, a cake containing milk and eggs is a better alternative. Enriching the cake with additions such as cinnamon, apple and walnut will contribute to energy, content and taste.
7- Stomach volume of children with no appetite is small. Since it is important to fill this stomach with the right foods, attention should be paid to fluid consumption. A child who wants to drink water should never be prevented. Because water is health. However, instead of acidic and sugary drinks, which are a source of empty calories, freshly squeezed fruit juice, smoothies prepared with carrots or fruits and vegetables that can be consumed will be very suitable choices. If he does not drink the milk plain or if the energy of the milk is insufficient, he can drink the milk with the addition of cinnamon by passing it through a blender with oil seeds such as bananas, hazelnuts, walnuts.
8- A fun, pleasant presentation and a peaceful table environment will of course make it easier for the child with an appetite to come to the table. Respecting their choices will reduce the pressure and stress on them. It will positively affect his relationship with food in the short and long term.
9- Be understanding to the child about the food he does not like. If there is a food that he does not like, he should not avoid other foods just to avoid eating it. For example, if he doesn’t like eggplant in a vegetable dish, he may be allowed to pick the eggplants instead of giving up the whole meal. However, it is recommended to taste it periodically.
Before all of these elements, the child’s growth and development should be followed. Information about whether the child is really undernourished, whether he is really under the growth curve, and if everything is okay, why he cannot gain weight should be evaluated by the dietitian and the physician. Since nutrition is personal, a nutrition plan should be created by considering many factors such as age, height, weight, health status, gender, physical activity status.
