You may be stressing about this very problem with your Toddler who used to eat almost everything you prepared with no fuss at all but now this Toddler of yours won't budge even at the sight of his or her favorite food. This can be very worrisome Mama just know that you are not alone and what your Little one is going through is very normal. It could be that your child could be Neophobic.
Neophobia is defined as a fear of new, or novel foods. For young children, this can mean they’re naturally skeptical of foods that they’ve never had before, foods that are prepared differently than they’re used to, or even foods that they just haven’t had in a while. This is much of what we parents call “picky eating“, but is in fact an expected phase of childhood.
It often sets in around 18 months and may coincide with a natural dip in appetite that happens as growth patterns slow. (It’s common for one year olds grow less rapidly than they did as babies.) This can be alarming to parents, especially if their child used to eat everything as a baby, but the more we can keep this in perspective as a normal phase of development, the better we’ll be able to keep on trucking through it! Things that can help may include: 1. Letting them see you eat the food as you sit together at the table. 2. Giving them lots of chances to experience, touch, and even taste the food before (and without) actually swallowing it. This could include cooking together, washing veggies, choosing foods at the grocery store, feeling a food to discover if it’s cold or hot. 3. Playing it cool ie. No comments on food, no forcing food on child, no positive or negative reaction from you as a parent when your child eats or doesn't eat food. 4. Practice Division of Responsibility (watch out for a detailed post on this)
Tips for managing Neophobia
Know that this is a normal phase of childhood development.
It may coincide with a decreased appetite (toddlers grow less rapidly than babies and often are less hungry), which can make it seem like a child is suddenly so picky. (When in fact, these are expected phases of development.)
You can work on increasing positive food experiences even if that doesn’t mean your child actually eats the food.
Remember that forcing bites, especially when the kids really are fearful of the food, can make things much worse.
Aim to include 1-2 foods the kids usually like at meals and snacks to ensure there is always something they can eat.
You can try these simple tips to help try new foods:
1. Offer small portions 2. Don't take refusal personally : Play it cool 3. Let them get hungry 4. Add flavour 5. Keep trying 6. Serve foods similar to what they like 7. Describe foods with colors, texture, hot vs cold. Compare foods to what they know 8. Take meals and snacks outside 9. It's normal to be wary of new foods 10. Relax and don't push too hard
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