The influence of parents on anorexia in children

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Vu Quoc Anh - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Anorexia is quite common in children. Especially, in children from 1-3 years old, the rate of anorexia can be up to 30-40%. There are many causes of anorexia in children, including problems from parents.

According to many studies, children's eating behaviors and attitudes are closely related to the interactions between children and parents. Parents' misperception in feeding their children is one of the reasons why children are anorexic.
Some very common mistakes made by parents that make their baby anorexic include:
1.1. Forcing children to eat Many parents force their children to eat the right amount of food within a specified period of time. If the child does not eat, he will be scolded,... This puts pressure on the child, making it easier for the child to suck on food, vomit or vomit. against not eating.
1.2. Giving children snacks improperly Many parents give their children snacks between meals. Thus, children will never feel hungry, so they will eat less or not eat at the next meal. Conversely, if children are eaten on time and do not snack before meals, children will eat enough food during the main meal.
1.3. Distracting children during eating Many parents let their children watch TV, go out, ... during meals. This way does more harm than good. Specifically, the food will quickly cool, cold, not delicious and increase the risk of infection (due to dust, flies, ...) because the meal lasts a long time. Not only that, this also makes the baby quickly feel flat on his stomach even though he hasn't eaten much and the next time he will not want to eat if he can't go out, watch TV,...

1.4. Putting medicine in food There are cases when children are sick and refuse to take medicine, so their parents put medicine in food. After being discovered, the baby will become wary of food and easily anorexia, anorexia.
1.5. Food preparation is not attractive Some parents give their children a monotonous diet with only a few dishes or a few fixed ingredients. This makes children quickly get bored and anorexic.
1.6. Unbalanced nutrition Many parents when building menus for children often do not ensure the balance between micronutrients and fiber necessary for the development of children, but have a bias towards a group of substances.
Besides, many people do not really pay attention to children eating fruit. With a lack of vitamin C, children are prone to swollen gums, bleeding gums, mouth sores, or fatigue, sickness and loss of appetite. Without vitamin B, children are prone to digestive disorders, vomiting, loss of appetite, mental sluggishness, etc., leading to poor appetite and unwillingness to eat.
1.7 Attitude too indifferent to children In some families, because they are too busy, parents pay little attention to their children's diet, too indifferent or cold. That can make children feel unattended leading to anorexia, anorexia,...
1.8. Over-indulgence Some parents are overly responsive to their children's needs, indulging their children's preferences in terms of eating: feeding them anytime, anywhere, and whatever the child likes. This makes children resistant to foods they do not like, not being able to eat many types of foods and leading to anorexia.

When a 1-year-old child is anorexic and has difficulties in eating, parents should change the child's lifestyle, food preparation and eating habits and take the child to see a pediatrician. Or a nutritionist for the most effective solution. Some tips to help overcome anorexia in children parents should refer to:
Practice giving children a variety of foods from the weaning stage because at this time, the baby's taste buds have not yet developed, the baby can easily continue to eat. accept different foods and tastes. As a result, children will have the habit of eating a variety of foods when they grow up. Do not put medicine in food because it will scare the child and always be wary of food. There is no need to be too strict with the amount of food your baby eats. If the baby is gaining weight, it means that the baby is eating enough. Process food with attractive flavors and eye-catching colors, changing variety to stimulate baby's curiosity about food. When feeding children, parents should let the baby sit comfortably in a favorite place. Parents can let their children feed themselves and use funny shaped tableware to help them feel more interested in eating. In older children, when they have said their wishes, parents can consult with their children to see what they want to eat and change the way of processing and food ingredients to suit the child's taste. Do not let children eat snacks before the main meal because it will make them brave when eating. Do not use food for the purposes of reward or punishment because over time, children will tend to use eating to pressure their parents, asking to go out, watch movies to eat,...

In short, children with anorexia can be caused by many objective and subjective factors. Among them are the parents' reasons. Anorexia can have serious consequences if not handled properly. In the case of children with prolonged anorexia, malabsorption, growth retardation, parents should supplement children with supportive products containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins. help meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well. Parents can also apply dietary supplements and functional foods derived from nature for easy absorption by the baby. The most important thing is that the improvement of the baby's symptoms must take place over the long term. Combining many types of functional foods at the same time or changing many types in a short time can make the baby's digestive system unable to adapt and completely not good. Therefore, parents must be really persistent with their children and regularly visit the website vimec.com to update useful baby care information.