Anorexic children – One hundred thousand worries of parents

Children are anorexic, why?

There are many causes leading to anorexia such as: sick children, acute diseases caused by bacterial infections, viral infections of the respiratory system and digestive system, so they must use antibiotics to treat intestinal disorders; psychological (stress, fear when it comes to meals, food that doesn’t match your preferences); or lack of essential nutrients (vitamins B, C, D, protein, lysine, iron, zinc…); or anorexia due to physiology (usually appearing at times when there are physiological changes in the child’s body such as teething, learning to walk, learning to speak…); and congenital (accounting for 5% of all babies)

Although this is a common problem in children under the age of 6, it is difficult to identify because many parents confuse it with picky eating. But picky eating is just that the baby does not like to eat certain special foods that do not suit his taste, but other foods, he can still eat normally.

Meanwhile, anorexic children showed more diverse manifestations such as children refusing to eat all their portions or meals lasting more than 30 minutes/meal; eat less than ½ of the age-appropriate diet; holding food in the mouth refusing to swallow; the child refuses to eat, pretends to have stomach pain, wants to vomit, etc. to have an excuse not to eat or to finish the meal; The child has not gained weight continuously for 3 consecutive months, or the child is often constipated or has fewer stools than usual.

Hundreds of thousands of concerns when children suddenly become anorexic

Anorexia seems like a small problem, but the consequences are not small. Most parents think that anorexia only affects the baby’s physical condition such as slow weight gain and height. In fact, the consequences are much more dangerous such as growth disorders, susceptibility to chronic diseases, and long-term health problems. long-term psychological effects on children.

Initially, anorexia only leads to weight loss, but if this situation persists, it will affect both physical and intellectual development, causing children to lose many opportunities compared to their peers.

Moreover, when children with anorexia, the body is not provided with a variety of food groups, so it does not receive enough energy, lacks many nutrients such as protein, vitamin E, vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium and fiber, iron, zinc. , leading to the consequences of malnutrition, small stature, and reduced resistance of children, susceptible to infections, gradually falling into a pathological spiral. Statistics from the National Institute of Nutrition show that when children have poor immunity, they do not eat enough nutrients, they have 29% more sick days, and 45% more risk of upper respiratory tract infections.

Micronutrient deficiency can cause anemia due to deficiency of iron, folic acid, B12 affecting quality of life, poor concentration in school and low IQ. Not to mention, anorexic children are also emotionally disturbed, due to the pressure of cramming food from their parents. To escape, children often pretend to have stomach pain, nausea. Over time, it will become a natural reflex when seeing food. At this time, children are not only traumatized but also susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases, such as stomach pain.

Anorexia not only affects the child himself, but also causes stress and anxiety for caregivers and other family members. The more parents try to feed their children by all means, but the child refuses to eat, or the meal lasts 2-3 hours, the more tired, stressed, and irritable the parents are.

Any solution for parents when children are anorexic?

For anorexia, there is no universal formula that works for children. Only when finding the right cause can parents successfully overcome anorexia for their children. Therefore, when there are abnormal signs, you should take your child to see a doctor to find the right solution.

At the same time, so that each meal is not a battle but a culinary experience of childhood, please take the time to change the way you prepare and diversify dishes to create the same enjoyment as children. Get a new toy every day.

An eye-catchingly decorated dish will make the audience’s mood more exciting and create a feeling of wanting to try it right away, so do children. Each child will have different needs, interests and tastes, so be clever based on your child’s preferences to prepare suitable dishes.

On the other hand, when the baby is just starting to eat solid foods, the mother needs to establish a table rule: no TV/phone/ipad – no walking – no toys. Once the child is at the table, focus on the food and the meal should not last more than 30 minutes. Another important thing is to break the habit of trying to “force” your child to eat.

During the meal, the mother should praise and encourage a lot, even though the child can only eat a small amount of food, but the child will be more confident and interested in eating.

In addition, mothers can add micronutrients for children with anorexia and malabsorption. Should choose a product with a combination of L-Lysine and 17 vitamins and minerals to help children increase absorption, grow sustainably, not “obese” when used and return to a stunted state when stopping taking.