Patient's question:
My daughter is 31 months old this year. She has always had a poor appetite and refuses to eat. She has taken many appetite stimulants, such as Pici Xin and Wangshi Baochi Pills. She has also tried traditional Chinese medicine. At first, it had some effect, but later it stopped working. What should I do?Doctor's answer:
Hello: The reasons for children's picky eating include the following:1. Excessive snacking.
2. Children with digestive system diseases or other chronic conditions, due to unresolved illnesses or medication, may experience a loss of appetite.
3. Additionally, insufficient sleep, zinc deficiency, picky eating, overeating, and excessive greasiness can also be contributing factors.
Home care tips:
1. Cultivate good eating habits. Feed children at fixed times and in measured quantities, reducing snacks between meals. Encourage them to eat a variety of foods without being picky or biased, and avoid distractions like laughing or watching TV during meals. This can disrupt gastrointestinal motility and digestive gland secretion, leading to poor digestion. Avoid sitting while eating, as it may cause belching, hiccups, and bloating, reducing food intake.
2. Increase the variety of food preparations to stimulate appetite. However, avoid excessive greasiness, as prolonged consumption can impair digestive function and cause picky eating. Pay attention to a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, with a preference for light foods (e.g., rice, noodles, eggs, dairy, and vegetables) and fats as a supplement.
3. Ensure adequate sleep. Children in their developmental stages should get at least 10 hours of sleep per day. Limit prolonged TV or video game use and encourage timely rest.
4. Consume more zinc-rich foods. Zinc is found in animal-based foods such as lean meat, eggs, fish, and nuts. Zinc deficiency can also delay growth and development, so parents should include more zinc-rich foods in their children’s diet.
You can also try the following home massage therapy for picky eating:
Place a small table or coffee table and cover it with a blanket. Prepare some talcum powder or prickly heat powder (to prevent skin irritation during massage). Have the child urinate before the massage, which is usually performed before meals to avoid causing vomiting afterward. Perform the massage once daily, with a 7-day course. The specific methods are as follows:
1. Have the child lie on their back. The adult’s right index and middle fingers, coated with talcum powder, press on the child’s navel and massage in a clockwise direction for 100 strokes.
2. The adult’s palm, coated with talcum powder, massages the child’s abdomen in a clockwise direction for 100 strokes.
3. Turn the child over to lie face down on the table. At the top of the child’s buttock crease (the acupuncture point "Lower Seven Joints"), the adult’s thumb, coated with powder, pushes downward for 50 strokes. (Note: For children with diarrhea, the point should be pushed upward toward the spine, known as "Upper Seven Joints.")
This massage method is simple and easy to perform, and parents can do it at home. Do not interrupt the massage if the child cries. For severe picky eating, two consecutive courses of massage may be necessary. The technique should be moderate—neither too light nor too heavy.