Patient's question:
Your friend's child is 1 year and 10 months old and is still primarily drinking milk. The main reason is that she doesn't eat anything else. The family has tried various methods to prepare palatable meals for her, but she only eats a few bites each time and then stops. Does anyone have any good suggestions for experts?Doctor's answer:
Hello: The following methods can be tried: First, it's important to identify why the child is picky about food. If the pickiness is caused by gastrointestinal or systemic diseases, or drug reactions, it's necessary to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Traditional Chinese medicine can also be used to treat symptoms of pickiness. For example, if the child has poor digestion or food stagnation, concentrated Baohe Pills can be taken; if the child has a weak spleen and stomach, reduced appetite, and stomach fullness, Xiangsha Liqun Pills can be used; if the child's appetite decreases due to improper diet, which damages the spleen and stomach, and experiences fullness or stomach pain, Xiangsha Yangwei Pills can be taken; and for food retention, post-meal fullness, and diarrhea, Jianpi Pills can be used.In addition to medication, to make the child enjoy eating, it's also important to pay attention to methods. Some children are picky about food, and parents become anxious. To coax the child to eat, some use toys to distract them during meals, while others let them play while eating... Excessive indulgence by parents and a lack of understanding of proper feeding methods are also direct causes of children's pickiness.
So what should be done? Below are some suggestions:
1. Create a relatively quiet eating environment for the child so that he can eat comfortably and happily. The digestive system is affected by emotions; stress can lead to reduced appetite. Therefore, adults should avoid loud laughter or distracting the child during meals.
2. The child's food should not only consider various nutrients but also be diverse and easy to digest. Strive to offer a variety of foods that are delicious, fragrant, and appealing, so that the child develops a desire to eat when they see or smell them. Additionally, the dishes prepared for the child should be cut finely, and the rice should not be cooked too dry, so that