Strategies that can be reviewed and individualized during my picky eating consultations can help parents. Picky eating in children can vary significantly, ranging from mild avoidance of certain foods to more challenging behaviors during mealtimes. Understanding the spectrum of food selectivity is crucial.
The following is a brief overview of how food selectivity may present in children, as well as some resources that may present in children, as well as some resources that may be helpful in your search to support your child…
What is Food Selectivity in Children
Children develop selective eating patterns over weeks, months, and years. Multiple factors contribute to this behavior:
- Stemming from genetics, psychological influences, and triggering events like a choking incident.
- Even if a child seems to be more sensitive to taste, texture, or other sensory aspects, most children can broaden their food choices.
Defining Selective Eating
What is selective eating? Things to know: It occurs on a broad continuum!
Selective eating exists along a broad continuum. For parents, it might translate to statements like, “My child refuses new foods” or “My child eats very little!”
- Limited Diet: Children exhibit preferences for specific foods based on placement, closeness, temperature, or form.
- ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder): Fairly New – Children who are extremely picky eaters may get diagnosed with ARFID by a medical practitioner. ARFID may lead to poor growth and nutrition. Behavioral Intervention strategies may help increase eating behaviors in those diagnosed with ARFID, however, parents/caregivers should consult with a medical practitioner first.
Causes of Selective Eating
How did my child become a selective eater?
Understanding the origins of selective eating involves considering the following:
- Medical issues – this should always be ruled out before seeking behavioral consultation for selective eating.
- Patterns of eating that become increasingly restricted over time – when coming from a behavior analytic perspective, keep in mind what is known about the behavior and the history of reinforcement (positive and negative). If access to specific foods, attention, and routines were provided/removed over time (and functioned as a reinforcer for behaviors), then selective/restrictive eating behaviors were learned and reinforced over time.
- Problems with sleep – evokes irritability and lower threshold for variation and novelty when it comes to eating for some.
- Conditioned taste aversions – association of certain foods with symptoms of being sick or other aversive effects in the environment (e.g., smells, sounds, visuals)
Working on Selective Eating Behaviors
Identifying when selective eating impacts daily life.
- Impacts day-to-day functioning and the ability to participate in family/social routines without additional preparation and/or modifications
- Nutrient intake
- Evoking novel challenging and interfering behaviors
Effective Interventions
What are the most effective interventions for selective eating behaviors?
Effective interventions incorporate various elements:
- Positive Reinforcement: Utilizing reward systems, behavior contracts, and praise.
- Incremental Changes: Gradual steps towards expanding food choices.
- Multidisciplinary Support: Collaboration with professionals like dieticians and therapists.
Proactive Strategies for Success
Deploying proactive strategies is key to addressing selective eating habits.
- Timing and Location: Choosing the right time and place for introducing new foods.
- Visual Supports and Reward Charts: Visual aids and reward systems outlining expectations
- Pairing Preferred Activities: Associating preferred activities like music or TV with meals.
Food-related Strategies
Tailoring food presentation and choices:
- Type and Amount: Offering foods resembling familiar preferences in shape, texture, and color.
- Size Matters: Think about only placing the amount the child is expected to eat on the plate or table.
- Offering Choices: Providing controlled choices with clear boundaries and rewards for compliance.
- Script and Instructions: Plan out what will be said and shown to the child ahead of time.
If the function of the child’s eating behavior is access to tangibles and/or attention in the form of control around choices related to food, proactively build in choice while setting clear boundaries paired with a reward for making a choice – pick choices the family and providers are comfortable with!
- Examples: If rice and pasta are new targeted foods, can say: “Do you want rice or pasta as your side for dinner? When you make a choice and eat it, you can get ice cream for dessert” OR If the target for eating behavior is to increase the amount of food consumed, can present something like: “We are having meatballs with dinner – do you want 1 ½ or 2 with your dinner? When you eat most of the amount you picked out, you can have some dessert when dinner is done”
Navigating a child’s selective eating requires a comprehensive approach involving understanding, tailored interventions, and proactive strategies. By integrating these methods, parents can effectively support their children through the spectrum of food selectivity, fostering healthier eating habits and mealtime behaviors.
Resources for Parents
These books present behavioral interventions to successfully expand children’s diet variety and preferences.
- Broccoli Boot Camp: Basic Training for Parents of Selective Eaters
- Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating: A Step-by-Step Guide for Overcoming Selective Eating, Food Aversion, and Feeding Disorders
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Characterizes Selective Eating in Children?
Selective eating manifests across a spectrum: from mild preferences to Avoidant/ Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), a more extreme form causing nutritional deficiencies. It encompasses limited diets, food preferences, and potential sensory sensitivities.
When should concerns about Selective Eating be Addressed?
Intervention becomes essential when selective eating impedes daily function, impacts your child’s nutrient intake, or leads to disruptive behaviors. Seeking help is necessary if a child displays extreme pickiness that affects their growth development and overall well-being.
How can parents encourage the exploration of New Foods?
Providing options within the child’s comfort zone, offering clear choices, and linking preferred activities to mealtime can motivate children to expand their food repertoire while creating a positive eating environment. Choosing a similar taste, color or smell is a good starting point.
What contributes to Selective Eating Habits?
Selective eating can arise from various factors, including genetic predispositions, psychological elements, and past experiences such as conditioned taste aversions or medical issues. In addition, challenges in sleep patterns could contribute to heightened food selectivity.
