Loss of Appetite in Children[1]

8/11/2019 Loss of Appetite in Children[1]

1/13

Loss of Appetite in children

This is a very common problem among children between the ages of 2-6 years.

Usually the parents share in the development of such problem (without knowing) byshowing their worries and complaints (in front of her child) that he doesnt eatenough. !n the ma"ority of cases this child is a doing well with appropriate weightand height for his age and se#.

Trying to persuade your child to eat more$ most probably isnt bene%cial$ it mighteven have adverse e&ects by increasing refusal of eatingCauses of loss of appetite:

'. s the rate of growth slows down in older toddlers$ they often do start to lose

appetite as their nutrition reuirements may be slightly decreased$ and they start toenforce their independence by voicing their likes and dislikes. !t is also important toremember that developing personal tastes and a healthy will are perfectly normaland e#pected at this age.

2. *hen your child is sick$ he or she will probably not want to eat as much. decrease in appetite is normal with most minor illnesses.

+. ,orrelating the act of eating to an unhappy event

. orcing the child to eat more than he wants

/. 0ating "unk food in between meals

6. nemia

What can I do to help my child?

'. 1&ering food in an attractive way ( using colored spoons and plates with

interesting shapes made especially for kids)

2. i# the time of your child meals as much as possible

+. ood preferences are developed early in life and once they are established$ theyare hard to break. Therefore$ the earlier you encourage healthy food choices foryour child$ the better.


2/13

. or a while let your child choose what he eats. ,hildren with decreased appetitesusually continue to drink enough uids.

/. 1nce you allow your child to be in charge of how much she eats$ theunpleasantness at mealtime and your concerns about her health should disappear

in a matter of 2 to weeks. 3our childs appetite will improve when she becomesolder and needs to eat more.

6. 4ut your child in charge of how much he eats at mealtime.

5. llow one small snack between meals.

. 1&er more %nger foods.

7. 8erve small portions of food--less than you think your child will eat.

'9. ,onsider giving your child daily vitamins. (fter consultation of yourpediatrician)

''. :ake meal times pleasant.

'2. void conversation about eating.

'+. ;ont e#tend mealtime.

What Shouldn't I do?

'. ;ont awake the child at night to feed him.

2. ;ont o&er the child snacks at short intervals ( less than 2 hours) intervalsthroughout the day.

+. ;ont permit snacks that are larger than a regular meal.

. ;ont try to make the child feel guilty

/. ;ont threaten your child

6. 8ome parents force their child to sit in the high chair for long periods of time afterthe meal has ended.


3/13

5. ce andmany other hot spots are rife with lollipops and other sweets$ tantali?ing childrenand often frustrating parents. ,hildren seem to be targets of the sugary-foodindustry. recent study found that + percent of advertisements gearedtoward children and teens depicted candy and other sugar-laden snacks@sourceA Baiser amily oundationC. Desearchers arent sure why many children areso drawn to sweets$ but there are a few interesting theories.

8urvival of the 8weetest

:any researchers believe that :other


4/13

1ver time$ the rats became more and more addicted to sugar to provide those goodfeelings @sourceA EictoryC.

3et another study found that a speci%c genetic predisposition to sweets might causesome people to crave them more than others. 8tudy participants turned in daily

food consumption records. The participants whose bloodsamples showed aparticular form of the gene FGUT2 recorded consistently higher levels of daily sugarintake$ indicating that they are more prone to eat sugary snacks than otherparticipants with di&erent genetic tendencies @sourceA Fram?aC.

!uch Ado A(out Su)ar8weets have garnered a bum rap over the years for causing a host of behavioraland physical problems. However$ multiple studies have determined that sugarconsumption doesnt cause hyperactivity. Dather$ blood sugar spikes are to blame$and they can actually be controlled @sourceA EictoryC. *hats more$ sweets oftenarent the culprit in many cases of tooth decay. 4retty much any type of food

particle (sugar or not) that stays in the mouth for long periods of time allowsbacteria to grow and multiply$ which$ in turn$ promotes decay @sourceA ,ohenC.

To some e#tent$ sweets have been %ngered for the rising rate of childhood obesity.Decent studies have shown that the prevalence of obesity has increased in all agegroups. However$ children who are obese are that much more likely to turn intoobese adults @sourceA ,;,C. ;espite these unfortunate truths$ many physiciansagree that the real problems are inactivity and the e#cessive consumption ofunhealthy foods.Did You Know?

0#perts encourage parents to teach children to make healthy choices from the very

beginning. 3ou can make candy and cookies once-in-a-while treats$ limit fruit "uiceconsumption and stay physically active with your kids. s with most things$moderation seems to be the key to the en"oyment of sweet snacks for children andadults alike.

$here*s a lot you can do to help your child mana)e +ei)ht and ma,ehealthy lifestyle choices- .ut if you*re +orried a(out your child*s +ei)ht/seein) a health professional can (e a )ood start-
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?idhttp://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/blood.htmhttp://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?type=article&article_id=218393113http://www.parenting.com/article/Child/Recipes--Nutrition-For-Children/Sugar-Does-It-Make-Kids-Hyper/1http://www.parents.com/preschoolers/eating-nutrition/nutrition/nutritionkid-addicted-to-sweets/http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/childhood-conditions/childhood-obesity.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.htmlhttp://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?idhttp://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/blood.htmhttp://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?type=article&article_id=218393113http://www.parenting.com/article/Child/Recipes--Nutrition-For-Children/Sugar-Does-It-Make-Kids-Hyper/1http://www.parents.com/preschoolers/eating-nutrition/nutrition/nutritionkid-addicted-to-sweets/http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/childhood-conditions/childhood-obesity.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html


5/13

did you know

%oun) people +ho are over+ei)ht or o(ese have an increased ris, of(ecomin) o(ese adults- Childhood and adult o(esity are (oth associated+ith many severe health ris,s/ includin) type02 dia(etes/ heart diseaseand other cardiovascular illnesses/ and cancer of various ,inds-

Unhealthy weightA some basics

Fetting professional help

amily strategies to help teenagers with overweight issues

Talking about weight issues

Disk factors for unhealthy weight gain

1nhealthy +ei)ht: some (asics

person is IoverweightJ or IobeseJ if that person has an e#cessive amount of bodyfat. 1besity is a more severe form of overweight.

Teenagers can be at ris, of unhealthy +ei)ht )ain/ over+ei)ht and o(esity.This is because teenagers tend to do less physical activity$ have more screen timeand eat less healthy$ more high-fat and high-sugar foods.

s a parent$ you know your child best. !tJs normal to worry about your childJs weightif you think sheJs making unhealthy food choices and not getting enough physicalactivity each day.

%our &will be able to say for sure whether your child is an unhealthy weight. The

F4 might discuss your childJs body mass inde# (K:!) which measures your childJsheight and weight.

!f youJre worried about your childJs weight$ youJre not alone. The 2995-299


6/13

ettin) professional help

!f your child has a weight problem$ health professionals such as a F4 or anaccredited practising dietitianwill be able to help.

n advantage of seeing a health professional is that your child might see theprofessionalJs advice as more IneutralJ than yours.

Health professionals can help many overweight teenagers achieve healthy weightby focusing on (ehaviour and lifestyle. This is likely to involve helping your childand family establish long-term healthy lifestyle choices$ and avoid disorderedeating.

health professional might recommend a +ei)ht maintenanceprogram for ayoung person who still has some Iheight growingJ to do. This means that if thechildJs weight stays the same while the child gets taller$ she might be able to IgrowintoJ her weight.

or young people who are already as tall as theyJre going to get$ overweight needsto be managed by weight loss.

!n e#treme cases of obesity$ a health professional might look at other clinicalmanagement options$ such as medications or even surgery. !f suggested for youngpeople$ these options should be managed in a specialist obesity service.

amily strate)ies to help teena)ers +ith over+ei)ht issues

!f your F4 or another health professional says your child has a weight problem$thereJs a lot you can do as a family to help your child get back to a healthy weight.

good place to start is with your family lifestyle. *hen your whole family eatswell and gets enough daily physical activity$ you set a good e#ample for your child.

This is also a great way of supporting and encouraging her.

3ou can %nd more information on lifestyle choices for healthy weight in our articleson food for teenagersand physical activity for teenagers.

Here are some practical things to look at in your family lifestyle.

ealthy food and snac,s cupboard and fridge with nutritious snacks and meals means that you wonJt have

to be the Ifood policeJ all the time. !f your child wants to snack$ he wonJt be able to"ust grab a chocolate bar. 8o if he really is hungry he might choose an apple instead.3ou can also guide him towards healthy choices by trying to get rid of "unk food$ softdrinks and other 4sometimes* foods.

healthy breakfastevery day is especially important. healthy breakfast keepsyour child feeling fuller for longer$ so sheJll be less likely to snack on sugary or fattyfoods. This will help her stay at a healthy weight.
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/food_teenagers.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_activity.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/eating_breakfast.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/food_teenagers.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_activity.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/eating_breakfast.html


7/13

nd sitting down to eat a healthy meal together most days encourages your child toeat well.

Screen time limitsThe more time your child spends sitting in front of screens (TE$ computers$ videogames$ mobile phones and so on)$ the less time he has for physical activity. ,urrent

ustralian guidelines say children aged /-' years should have no more than twohours of screen timea day.

#aily physical activityustralian guidelines recommend children aged /-' years have at least 69 minutesof moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. !f you can make time forphysical activities as a family$ itJs a great way to get your child moving.

3ou can also read some tips for getting children who arenJt interested in sport to dosome physical activity.

0ncouraging and helping your child to make healthy eating and physical activity

choices while he is a teenager will help him avoid unhealthy +ei)ht )ain.Healthy choices now can get your child in the habit of making healthy choices in thefuture.

$al,in) a(out +ei)ht issues

!f thereJs a problem with your childJs weight$ your child needs your help to get hisweight L and future health L back on track.

Kut many young people are self-conscious about their weight$ and feel bad aboutthemselves because of it. They might even have been teased or bullied because of

their weight. There are also lots of negative media messages about childhoodobesity that can make overweight young people feel even worse about themselvesand their bodies.

8o sensitivity and careis a good idea when talking about weight issues with yourchild.

Communication strate)ies!t might be easier to bring up the sub"ect of your childJs weight if you use somestrategies for positive communication. 1ur articles on active listeningand trickyconversationshave more information.

!f you need to talk about your childJs weight$ the conversation will probably gobetter at a time when youJre both rela#ed and calm.

elpful lan)ua)e*hen you %nd the right moment$ be honest and clear about your childJs weight andthe need to make healthy changes. The more she understands$ the more likely shewill be to make and keep to healthy changes.
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/screen_time.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_activity.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_activity.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/active_listening_teenagers.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/tricky_conversations.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/tricky_conversations.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/screen_time.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_activity.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_activity.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/active_listening_teenagers.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/tricky_conversations.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/tricky_conversations.html


8/13

or e#ample$ I!Jve noticed that you havenJt been getting a lot of e#ercise lately. !think you might be getting to a weight thatJs not healthy for you. Kut !Jm no e#pertMHow would you feel about talking to the F4NJ

,hoose your language carefully. :ost people %nd that terms like IobeseJ arenegative$ hurtful and unhelpful. !tJs more positive to use terms like IoverweightJ or

Iabove your healthiest weightJ. These focus on health$ not body image.

Avoid tal,in) a(out 4dietin)*Destricted eating and kilo"oule counting isnJt a strategy for developing long-termhealthy eating habits. !n a small percentage of people$ it can even be a risk factorfor eating disorders. 8o try to talk to your child about eating healthily rather than aadvising your child to start a diet.

!tJs not always easy to talk with your child about his weight. 3ou might be temptedto avoid discussing it with your child for fear of creating an eating disorder$ but therisk of this is very small.

*hen teenagers feel good about their bodies$ they are more likely to have goodself-esteem and mental health$ as well as a balanced attitude to eating and physicalactivity. 3ou can read more about the relationship between weight and body image.

is, factors for unhealthy +ei)ht )ain

s children become teenagers$ changes to their lifestyle can put them at risk ofunhealthy weight gain. or e#ample$ young people mightA

do less physical activity$ including less intense physical activity

do more activities that involve sitting down$ such as socialising$

reading$ and using a computer and phone

eat fewer of the foods they need to maintain a healthy weight$such as fruit$ vegetables and low-fat dairy products

eat more high-energy food$ takeaway food and snacks

eat away from homemore and make food decisions that youcanJt control.

!f you think your child or your family might have any of these risk factors$ you couldlook at making changes in those area

Anore6ia

4eople with anore#ia have a real fear of weight gain and a distorted view of theirbody si?e and shape. s a result$ they cant maintain a normal body weight. :anyteens with anore#ia restrict their food intake by dieting$ fasting$ or e#cessivee#ercise. They hardly eat at all O and the small amount of food they do eatbecomes an obsession.
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/body_image.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/eating_away_from_home.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/body_image.htmlhttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/eating_away_from_home.html


9/13

1thers with anore#ia may start binge eating and purging O eating a lot of food andthen trying to get rid of the calories by forcing themselves to vomit$ using la#atives$or e#ercising e#cessively$ or some combination of these.

.ulimia

Kulimia is similar to anore#ia. *ith bulimia$ someone might binge eat (eat toe#cess) and then try to compensate in e#treme ways$ such as forced vomiting ore#cessive e#ercise$ to prevent weight gain. 1ver time$ these steps can bedangerous O both physically and emotionally. They can also lead to compulsivebehaviors (ones that are hard to stop).

To be diagnosed with bulimia$ a person must be binging and purging regularly$ atleast twice a week for a couple of months. Kinge eating is di&erent from going to aparty and Ppigging outP on pi??a$ then deciding to go to the gym the ne#t day andeat more healthfully.

4eople with bulimia eat a large amount of food (often "unk food) at once$ usually insecret. 8ometimes they eat food that is not cooked or might be still fro?en$ orretrieve food from the trash. They typically feel powerless to stop the eating andcan only stop once theyre too full to eat any more. :ost people with bulimia thenpurge by vomiting$ but may also use la#atives or e#cessive e#ercise.

lthough anore#ia and bulimia are very similar$ people with anore#ia are usuallyvery thin and underweight but those with bulimia may be a normal weight or can beoverweight

Qunk-ood actsre you a "unk-food "unkieN Heres what you need to know.

8ave This rticle or Gater

8hare thisA

ont si?eA

Ky 0laine :agee$ :4H$ D;*eb:; *eight Goss ,linic - 0#pert ,olumn

!ts the 2'st century and P"unk foodP has gone global. or better or for worse (mostlyworse)$ "unk food is now available all over the world. *e see it most everywhere wego -- in grocery and convenience stores$ fast-food restaurants$ on television --usually looking very appealing. Kut "ust what are the facts about "unk foodN
http://www.webmd.com/elaine-mageehttp://www.webmd.com/elaine-magee


10/13

PQunk foodP generally refers to foods that contribute lots of calories but littlenutritional value. 1f course$ whats considered P"unk foodP depends on whom youask. 8ome might say pi??a is "unk food$ for e#ample. Kut ! personally dont think so$since it contributes real food with nutrients$ like cheese and tomato sauce. ddwhole-wheat or part whole-wheat crust$ plus veggies as a topping$ and !d say pi??acompletely e#its the "unk food category.

1ne problem with "unk foods is that theyre low in satiation value -- that is$ peopledont tend to feel as full when they eat them -- which can lead to overeating.nother problem is that "unk food tends to replace other$ more nutritious foods.*hen people drink lots of soda$ for e#ample$ they are usually not getting plenty oflow-fat dairy or other healthful beverages like green teaor orange "uice. *hentheyre snacking on chips and cookies$ theyre usually not loading up on fruits andvegetables.

:ost P"unk foodP falls into the categories of either Psnack foodP or Pfast food.P ndthen there are things like breakfastcereals. They seem innocent enough$ but some

of them could de%nitely be considered P"unk food$P as they mostly contain sugar orhigh-fructose corn syrup and white our or milled corn.

Calories rom Snac, oods

4opular snack foods are usually commercially prepared and packaged$ like chips$cheese pu&s$ candy bars$ snack cakes$ and cookies.

The contribution of snack food to the calories we eat should not be underestimated.Ketween '755 and '776$ the contribution of snack calories to total calories for

merican children between 2 and / years old increased by +9R$ according to anarticle published in the ,hilean medical "ournal$ Revista Medica de Chile.

ast ood and 7vereatin)

1f course$ "unk food is also readily available at restaurant chains across the countryin the form of rench fries$ chicken nuggets$ shakes$ soda$ etc.


11/13

researchers suggested that certain factors inherent to fast food might promoteovereatingA

!ts low in %ber. !ts high in palatability (that is$ it tastes good).

!t o&ers a high number of calories in a small volume.

!ts high in fat.

!ts high in sugar in liuid form

Tips for improving your health

Gets face it. *e all want to be pictures of perfect health. *e dont$ however$ want towork at it too hardM These %ve tips will help you improve your overall health. ! cantguarantee they will cure what ails you or prevent anything bad from happeningMHowever$ ! can guarantee that the doctor will be happier at your ne#t o>ce visitM

3ou might want to visit the doctor before making any of these changes so you canmake sure they are appropriate to your situation. *hile these are simple things thatwill improve the health of most individuals$ there are occasions when these healthtips may be medically dangerous. !f in doubt$ check it outMKetter Health Tip S'. ;rink more water$ low-fat milk$ and pure fruit "uices.

!f you regularly drink a lot of sweetened drinks$ switch several cups a day of yourvice for water or naturally-sweetened fruit "uice (no corn syrup). 8tandard advice isthat we need eight cups of liuid a day for good health. !f youre trying to loseweight$ studies show that low-fat milk may help. 1f course$ natural '99R "uice willhelp you meet your daily fruit vegetable reuirement. !f youd like to drink waterbut cant stand drinking PnothingP$ try adding a few drops of lemon or lime "uice. 3oumight also free?e small pieces of fruit and use them in place of ice$ or add aavorful herbal teabag to your glass.

Ketter Health Tip S2. 0at leaner foods and dine on %sh at least once or twice aweek.

! like my food 8outhern-styleA dipped in batter$ deep fried$ and stuck between twoslices of bread. *hat the food is doesnt really matter - !ve eaten deep-fried hardboiled egg sandwiches and deep-fried candy bars. !f you can save indulging on suchdelicacies until its time for the state fair$ your health (and waistlineM) will thank you.

8ome changes can be small and not so noticibleA replace high-fat hot dogs with alow-fat version. !nstead of making fried chicken$ lightly dredge it in our and bake it


12/13

on a roaster pan. Trade mashed potatoes and gravy for a baked potato. Try to eatmore vegetables at each meal. Kake %sh with a twist of lemon and seasoning. Tryshopping in a health food store occasionally - "ust to broaden your hori?ons as towhats available and goodM !f youre unsure of a new food$ ask the clerk at thehealth food store if its possible to get a sample.

Ketter Health Tip S+. Fet more e#ercise.

3eah - ! know. T0DD!KG0 advice from a couch potato to other couch potatoes. Thehealth bene%ts of getting more e#ercise greatly outweigh the comfort of la?iness$thoughM !ts actually not that hard to improve on a sedentary lifestyle. Take your dogfor a longer walk a few times a week. Take your family along as you and your dogget healthierM !nstead of riding the elevator$ take the stairs. Use cans of vegetablesas PweightsP to get started$ and work yourself up to a gallon of milk. Kelieve it ornot$ this will tone your arms - right from the comfort of your easy chairM Decreationalactivities like gardening$ swimming$ and gol%ng are all e#cellent ways to get more

e#ercise.

!ncidentally$ e#ercise often has impact on other health-related areas. or instance$people with illnesses that lead to chronic pain are often advised to get moree#ercise - it really does improve the pain ("ust go slowly and carefully$ and dontover-doM) lso$ there is a link between depression and lack of e#ercise. *hensomeone who is depressed is able to get outside or to a pool - even if they dontbreak out a sweat - it often improves their overall mood.

Ketter Health Tip S. Gimit your e#posure to chemicals.

Household cleaners$ toiletries$ pesticides$ highly re%ned foods... our houses can belike a to#ic soupM ! dont advocate going totally earthy-crunchy organic unless youreally want to become a health nutM 3et we can learn from the Phealth nutsP andadopt some healthier strategies.


13/13

Ketter Health Tip S/. Fet appropriate medical tests done at the right times$ by theright clinicians$ in the right way.

ll women should get regular pap tests and mammograms. :en should get theirprostates checked and have the routine testing for colon cancer. 3our doctor may

also want to check your thyroid or other hormone levels$ particularly if you aregaining or losing weight. 8ome doctors want to do many e#pensive tests.8ometimes these are necessary and even life-saving$ other times they are P"ust incaseP measures. Ke sure to ask$ P*hy do ! need this testN *hat will it tell youN *hatis the accuracy of the test - are there false positives and negativesN *hat follow-upwill ! needNP *hen you schedule your testing$ inuire as to the accuracy rate of thefacility$ and what kind of procedure they use. or e#ample$ there are severaldi&erent forms of :D! testing. !f you happen to be claustrophobic$ schedule whatscalled an P1pen :D!P - no big tubeM Ke sure to ask your doctor how often you shouldget routine testing done. 8ome tests should be repeated yearly$ others are usuallyperformed every few years

Loss of Appetite in Children[1]

Documents

Transcript of Loss of Appetite in Children[1]