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Is It a Behavioral Issue or an Appetite Problem ?
I had seen plenty of poor eaters in my practice, but this one had left me with no doubts that he was the worst amongst all. . With a history of bird’s appetite, this time he was breaking all records. It was nearly three days since he had taken a morsel. It looked as if he had taken recourse to some kind of Satyagraha. Any attempt to feed him forcefully would end up in a vomit. The young parents were nearly on the verge of a breakdown, when on the fourth day he ended his fast.
When kids don’t eat, why is it that they don’t eat? What makes them a poor eater?
The Eating disorders are complex disorders. It could be a simple behavioral disagreement to food or as some Research shows that its origins can have more than one reason – Biopsychosocial. A neurobiological brain disorder with a strong heritability component is also under investigation. Some individuals with eating disorders have an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain that control hunger, appetite, and digestion. The exact meaning and implications of these imbalances remains under investigation. Behavioral disagreement occurs if the child is force-fed or over -fed.
When kids don’t eat, it can be very distressing for their parents, but is this disorder treatable?
Yes, but first it is important to understand the relationship between the child?s total family environment and his eating disorder. The individuality of each child is an important factor in assessing the most suitable approach for dealing with food refusal. It would simply be illustrated by a case that I treated without any medication. A child of two had developed a very obstinate food refusal. It was assessed that the disorder had no biological angle, but was a case of behavioral disagreement. The mother was feeding the child at an inappropriate time, seven thirty in the morning, as she had to leave for her job by eight, which had resulted in an overall refusal to food. A simple adjustment in the feeding time gave the desired results.
In another case a little one had developed disgust for food after her mother used harsh punishment for not finishing meals in time. Such a situations can become a psychological deterrent and the child may sub consciously develop a contempt for food.
Homoeopathic medicines are very helpful in treating eating disorders.. Antimonium Crudum, Lycopodium, Nux Vomica are a few of the important homoeopathic medicines. Antimonium crudum is very helpful for infants who vomit milk immediately after breast-feed. Some peculiar mind symptoms easily identify the child who requires this medicine along with a very weak appetite he is Cross and contradictive; whatever is done fails to give satisfaction. The little one is Sulky; does not wish to speak. Child cannot bear to be touched or looked and gets angry at every little attention.
Lycopodium has a very strange indication. Although the child may be very hungry, eating ever so little satiates him easily. Nux vomica is often an abused appetite stimulant. Nux should only be used only when it is indicated. It should not be used as an appetite panacea. Homoeopathic medicines should only be used with the advice of an expert homoeopath.
Eating disorder can result out of general ill health as in chronic disorders like asthma and recurrent coughs and colds, also at times a result of over or an improper medication. Such children need to be treated with a constitutional and holistic approach where the root cause is identified and remedied.
The child being referred as ?he? in the above feature is just a grammatical connotation. It does not favour any sex.
Hi Doctor,
My daughter Anagha is now two and half years. She had a good health until two yesrs ( until I breastfed her). After that she is having recurrent colds and coughs. Especially cough that would last for months with a croup. And I somehow feel that her mucous gets aggreviated with the consumption of dairy products. She also has mild form of eczema on her back which gets a bit aggreviated when she has chocolates. She’s an active child and never stays idle.
Last time she had this croupy cough, kali sulph gave her relief.
But the croup has comd up again. Is there a permanent solution for her problem? As the cough is quite frequent.
Hello doctor
My son is one year old…from last one month he is not eating properly…sometimes he just living only on breastfeeding..no other food at all but the things was not like before he used take shuji or oatmeal at breakfast ,khichdi at lunch ….i tried varies healthy food and he enjoyed those food.i never need to force him..even over it him…just after he pass his one year he is very irritate and not willing to eat a bit..i m getting so frustrated…his weight was 11 kg but now it turns 10kg..plz help me out..
Hi Dr Sharma,
I have a 4 year old daughter who has very poor eating habit.
Inspite of her poor eating habit her WEIGHT HAS INCREASED FROM 17KG TO 26KG IN LAST two three months.
She has poor digestion..
she doesnot feel hungry
I have strong belief in Homeopathy
kindly help me out
Hi Dr. My baby didn’t eat anything plz suggeste me any madicine. She will be complete 2 year on December.. her wight is 11kg . M wry about her plz help
My son will turn 3 this december. He is foodie by nature and thinks about food like chocolates cheese and cream biscuits all the time.. yo avoid him getting used to such fatty food habits we have been restricting his diet to say only 1 cream bisc. A day or chocolates obly 2-3 times a week etc. Of late he talks vary negative as in even if i allow him to have cream biscuits or chocolates he will say no and keeps crying.. he has lost his appetite and doesnt eat anything.. he is a very active and bright child otherwise.. a week back he had put his shoe in his mouth and we shouted at hom . After that his appetite is reducing day by day.. he is vommiting cough in d morning. Also he has started blinking his eyes and opthal suggested some eyedrops and deworming medicine.. yest he took d medicine and is not eating atall.. no meal.. only 2 apple slices is what he ate in the night.. he is sleeping all the time and im worried..
Sebastian is a boy of 2.9 years and weight 28 lbs. History of birth: apagar 9, has developed well, only very thin. Since he was born he does not like meat of any kind, only some veggies and some fruits., like cucumbers, carrots, stawberries, blueberries and apples. We feed him puree of chicken, different veggies and vitamins and have to force him to eat. He is very healthy otherwise. Some times with change of weather gets a cough and he suffiers from allergic rhinitis (under treatment). He is a very active child, goes to pre-kiddergarden five days a week, but his lunch many a time returns untouched. No headaches, nor ear aches, nor eyes, nor throat, chest, stomach, nor pain of any type. All is negative. His growth is in the 50% percential. No fevers, only when he is outside in cold weather barefoot. If a fever its only 37C, cough and bodily malaises for a day or so. What do you recomend.
Thank you..hope to hear from you so with some suggestions.
My child is 4 year old son and he do not eat, like sometimes he ask a eat but most of the time he doesn’t get hungry. Why so bcoz of that his health is becoming weak be loses his weight and even get ill. Suggest me some medicine for him so that he get hunger and eat properly.
Hi Doctor,
My son is 2.5 yrs old and weighs 10.2 kgs. His birth weight was 2.72 kgs. From birth he used to vomit breast fed milk most of the time, Doctor’s used to say it is because of reflex. He also used to vomit solid food when we started feeding him after 6 months. Now his vomiting has stopped but he doesn’t put on weight. He looks very weak. He passes motion twice or thrice in a day, which is also my concern. Otherwise he is a very active kid. Please suggest me some medicine to increase his appetite and put on weight.
Thanks,
Surekha
Meri 3 years old baby khana bilkul bhi khana nahi chati hi bahut der tak tak muh me rakhti hi jayeda bolti hu to vomiting kar deti hi .weight bhi kam hi .14 ko. Sirf liquid khati hi chabati nahi hi. Kya karu.kaun si medicine du.please tell me.thanks
Sir, My son is 6 yrs old. His weight is 15 kgs. He is enthusiastic in every aspect but from last 2 months he doesn’t take interest for taking food. First we change the food what he want but all r in vain. Now we feed him forcedly. His weight decrease day by day. Can you please suggest me homeopathic treatment for increase his appetite.
Dear Doc
I am concerning my 3 years old boy does not eat like any other kid, he can go days with only drinking tea, he is so underweight at his age weighting 10kg. what do I need to do to boost his appetite? or what type of food to give him?
thank you
my son doesn’t like to eat anything with his own wish.I wait and offer again and again. sometimes he eats once a day only.then only I feed him after grinding food forcefully. what to do to create love for food in him?he is 2 years old
My son is 6 years old. His apettite is very less. He does not feel hungry. He is underweight. Please suggest some medicine without any side effects.
Hi my kid is 18 months old she not eat anything ishe only drinks milk and whole night she drink 5 feeders .. I m really distrubed plz suggest me some medican
My 4year 2months baby girl is not eating anything from last week. She starts crying very loudly that she does not wanna eat. Doctor says that her throat is perfect. He had given Nutrolin g for increasing her hunger. Still she doesn’t want to eat. Pls help me what to do.
Hello Dr
I have a 2.9 years old son whose digestion is very poor since the time he was born. There has to be a gap of 3 to 3 and half hours between each feed. He eats nothing before that. If tries to then vomits. His padec says as he grows up his vomiting and digestion shall improve which has not and become a worry n nuisance for me. He does chew his food at all. Every feed has to be puree form that is mixer grinded or else he will vomit anything solid goes in mouth. He does not sit and eat. Make him lie down on my lap n feed him. He gets afraid of eating anything that it will get choked up. He is in nursery n gets his tiffin as it is that is untouched. Sometimes eats 1 peppy that’s it. No fruit,biscuit,chocolate or ice cream , wafer. Nothing he eats just licks and throws it. Pls suggest medicine for improving his digestion. How to remove his fear of food getting choked up or vomiting shall occur. In the night also he sometimes gets up in his sleep and vomits for reason even after 2 or 2 and half hour of feed. I m really worried. I cannot travel with him for long journey since he does not eat anything chewing. Have to make him sleep on lap and feed .
Hello doctor, my 3.5 years old daughter is a picky eater .she always wants to eat only dry stuff like puri , roti, bread,paratha etc. does’t even eat stuffed items. I m so much worrird about her food habits. She does’t like daal which is a great source of protien neither eggs. Apart from that she is a very active child learns very fast.her current weight is 11 k.g n her birth weigh was 2.6 k.g.she likes fruits n dry fruits.
Hello doctor ,
My daughter 2.8 years old is very very picky eater. Few days she goes almost so thought eating anything at all or maximum a cup of milk in while day.
In general she eats very less and is a small child. She weigh only 10 kgs and height is around 88cms.her birth weight as 2.9kgs
On other side she is very active child understands everything can talk and walk properly.She can even climb difficult slides in playground just that she is never hungry. On a good day she eats little lunch and very little dinner and cup of milk.
please suggest what should I do.I am tired running behind her to eat and also concern about her health.
Sir my son and daughter is 3year old .dono ka wait 11.8kg hai wo dono sirf bottle se doodh penea mei interested hai par wo khana nahi khate hai.jisea wo bahut weak hai plz kuch bataye mei unhea kaise khana khilau aur wait gain karau
My son Sidhaveid, does not take any food except milk. He is suffering from heavy cold n cough since a week. He is not ever interest to take any food. His weight only 10.5 kg since one year. He is two n half years old.
I am giving to him following syrups:
A. Sinarest
B. Flu cold
C. Switch anti biotic
What can I do sir?