Patient's question:
My child is currently 1.5 years old and has previously had eczema, which hasn't fully healed yet, but it's not a major issue. The main problem is that they are extremely picky about food, eating almost nothing (except breast milk, but it's not enough), so they wake up many times during the night. What can I do? Please help??Doctor's answer:
Hello: Nowadays, most children are only children, and an increasing number of them are experiencing psychogenic anorexia. The most important psychological factor causing children to refuse food is forcing them to eat. Some parents often use coercion when feeding their children. For example: feeding with a spoon, using rewards and punishments to encourage them to eat, with delicious food, letting them choose food freely, adding snacks outside of meals, and even while playing, forcing them to eat.Many parents worry when their children's appetite decreases after the age of 6 months. In fact, the rate of weight gain in children can slow down as they grow older, and their food intake will also decrease relatively with age. Trying to make picky eaters eat more often backfires.
When forcing them to eat, children can normally refuse, which is a common feature from 9 months to 3 years old. Additionally, children may develop conditioned food refusal. Every time they are given food, they associate it with forced measures and punishment, making them feel unpleasant and causing psychological stimulation, leading to anorexia.