Most cases of 4-year-old children not knowing how to chew are due to the wrong method of weaning or improper eating habits. Here are some effective causes and solutions to help children chew food effectively, supporting their comprehensive development.
1. Learn about chewing
Chewing is the process by which food is ground up by the teeth. This is the first step in digestion and increases the surface area of food to allow digestive enzymes to break it down more efficiently.
At around 6 months of age, babies begin to explore food using a biting and spitting pattern. Babies begin to use their mouths as early as 7 to 8 months as they are introduced to new foods and textures. They try to manipulate food in their mouths to experience taste, which will lay the foundation for chewing later. As babies' diets gradually change from soft to solid textures, they begin to move their tongues and cheeks more, which further develops their chewing reflex.
By the time a child reaches their first birthday, they develop better coordination to chew food properly. This coordination primarily involves the movement of food by the tongue—moving it to the side to chew, then to the center, and to the other side. The back-and-forth movement forms the chewing action. At this stage, the child's senses have developed enough to assess whether food needs further chewing. If so, the child will move the food from one side to the other and continue chewing. Once the food is chewed enough, it is pushed down the throat to be swallowed. This process is better regulated when the child turns 2 or 3 years old and becomes more refined by the ages of 4 to 5 when the chewing muscles are smoother and faster.
2. Reasons why 4-year-olds do not know how to chew food
Many 4-year-olds do not know how to chew, they just swallow their food and this will be extremely harmful to their intestines such as bloating and indigestion. If the mother continues to feed the child rice with soup or porridge, it will make the child even more lazy to chew.
Here are some of the main reasons why babies don't chew food:
- Lack of interest in food: Many parents do not pay attention to variety when preparing food for their children, which makes them bored. Sometimes children also have a preference for foods that are easy to chew, which makes them lose interest in trying foods with different tastes and textures.
- Absence of solid foods right from the weaning stage: When your child is almost 1 year old, you should introduce foods with different tastes and textures. For a child who is completely dependent on breast milk at this age, chewing can be quite a difficult task to handle later in life.
- Delay in introducing solid foods: Chewing is a skill that needs to be developed quite early in life. If you only introduce solid foods to your child after he or she is older, your child may have difficulty accepting such foods and prefer to drink milk or eat more liquid foods.
- Children react to your pressure to eat by chewing: You are under the misconception that the food you prepare for your child needs to be consumed and you are unintentionally forcing your child to finish his or her portion. Too much pressure causes children to lose their appetite, and lose interest in food and instead of chewing, they will chew.
- Too many snacks: If children have received enough calories from snacks, it is certain that when it comes to the main meal, they will not be able to finish their portion. Being too full also makes children lose interest in the main meal and it is natural for them not to chew their food.
- Children have problems with jaw deformities or digestive problems.
- Children are distracted by toys or TV programs because they play while eating or watch TV while eating.
A child does not chew their food for an extended period, it can lead to food retention in the mouth, loss of appetite, and a decreased desire to eat, which can ultimately result in poor appetite. A 4-year-old who does not know how to chew can significantly impact the child's digestive system. The function of the jaw muscles is affected, and the stomach may not work properly, potentially becoming overloaded because the food is not properly chewed, or digestive enzymes cannot function at full capacity to break down food due to a constant diet of only liquid foods.
3. How to help a 4-year-old chew food
It is concerning when a 4-year-old refuses to chew their food, as this is a time when children are gradually adapting to eating like adults and becoming proficient at chewing and biting food. If this issue persists despite trying several methods, here are a few suggestions:
Avoid rushing or scolding the child: Pressuring the child to chew by yelling or scolding can negatively impact their psychology and make them more hesitant before meals. Therefore, make sure to remain calm and patient while encouraging the child to eat and chew their food. Turn mealtime into a fun activity.
Choose appropriate food: There will certainly be foods that the child enjoys eating, so try experimenting with different recipes to diversify their menu. This can motivate them to eat better. Start with softer foods that are easy to chew, such as slightly overcooked vegetables, tender stewed meat, or small pieces of fruit.
Feed the child when they are hungry: Children may view chewing as unnecessary and try to avoid it. A child who is full will almost never touch food that requires chewing. To turn this around, offer those foods when the child is very hungry. At first, they may resist, but hunger will soon take over, and the child will have no choice but to chew the food thoroughly.
Let the child feed themselves: Children who refuse to chew often want to do things on their own. You can use this to your advantage. Prepare mealtime with food in a bowl and allow the child to use a small spoon or training chopsticks. The child will enjoy having control over their choices and the ability to pick foods they like. Don't worry if they only eat small portions—this is a good start for them.
Avoid distractions during meals: Don't allow the child to eat while playing or watching TV or using a smartphone. This will distract them, preventing them from fully focusing on the food, and they might even forget to chew.
In addition, parents should also supplement essential micronutrients such as Zinc, selenium, Chromium, Vitamin B1 and B6, Ginger, cherry extract (vitamin C), ... to improve taste, increase resistance so that children are less sick and have less digestive problems.
Improving symptoms can take place over a long period of time, so parents are advised to be calm and persistent when supplementing nutrients for their children, whether through food or functional foods. In particular, when using functional foods, you should choose those of natural origin that are easy to absorb, and not use many types at the same time or constantly change types of functional foods.
In case you have tried all of the above methods and your child does not cooperate, it is best for you to take your child to a nutrition counseling center to receive appropriate advice for your child's condition.
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