Picky eating children at pediatrician’s appointment

Abstract

The review article provides data from modern approaches to diagnosis and correction of behavioral eating disorders, that tend to occur in preschool children. Purpose - to consider the algorithm of pediatrician’s actions in the case of preschool children eating difficulties; to point out the main ways to prevent from development of child’s health negative consequences. Basic principles of eating behaviour disturbances were analyzed. The main factors, that affect the establishment of child eating behaviour are pregnant woman nutrition, influence of genetic factors and breastfeeding in early childhood. Malnutrition and loss of appetite among the preschool children with a lack of timely detection and due correction lead to negative consequences for children’s health and development, associated with chronic nutriet deficiency. Pediatrician algorithm of actions to manage preschool children eating difficulties includes the estimation of physical development, excluding of internal organs pathology, central nervous system and neuropsychiatric disease. Nutritional anamnesis should comprise information about child’s nutrition from the moment of birth: composition and method of feeding, age of complementary food introduction, food tolerance and manifestation of unusual eating behaviour at this time. Conclusions. When parents visit a pediatrician with complaints about difficulties in feeding a preschool child, it is necessary to calmly and thoroughly analyze the child’s behaviour, general physical condition and eating habits, and, based on this, determine the possible reasons why the child has no appetite. This will determine what to do with the “starving” child, and whether it is need to do anything at all. The main rules that will help to form healthy eating behaviour in children are the formation of healthy eating habits and the development of healthy lifestyle skills in the child’s family, a full and varied diet, nutrition, regular exercise and outdoor walks. Treatment should be comprehensive and focus primarily on the psychological side of the problem, with nutritional correction as needed. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.