Dietetics
Child and toddler nutrition
Fussy eating, growth worries and building a workable family mealtime.
5 min read
What it is
Toddler appetites are erratic by design; intake evens out across a week rather than a day. The useful division of responsibility is that adults decide what is offered and when, and the child decides how much of it to eat. Pressure at the table reliably makes fussy eating worse, while repeated calm exposure to a food slowly makes it familiar.
What to look for
Refusing vegetables or new foods is developmentally normal between one and four
Concerning: weight or height dropping across growth chart lines, very few foods accepted, or gagging and choking
Sensible things to do at home
- Offer the same meal to the whole family, with one component you know your child accepts
- Keep milk to mealtimes and snacks; constant milk or juice blunts appetite
- Expect to offer a new food many times before it is accepted
- Keep mealtimes short, screen-free and calm
- Involve older children in shopping and cooking
When to see us
- Growth is faltering, or you have concerns about weight
- Your child eats fewer than around fifteen different foods
- Iron deficiency is suspected: pallor, tiredness, poor appetite
- Ongoing constipation or repeated tummy pain
To book, phone the practice on 058 813 2777 or send us a message. In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency department or call 10177.