FAQ: Kids and Picky Eating
Parents can take several steps to help their children develop a better relationship with food, Sharp says. Among them:
- "Recognize that for certain children, eating new and unfamiliar foods can cause distress," he says.
- Take small steps. Instead of trying to persuade your child to eat foods the rest of your family eats, focus on getting him to sit at the table and eat together with the family.
- When introducing or re-introducing a food, start with a small amount, such as one black-eyed pea on a spoon, not a bowl of them.
Diagnosing and treating depression or anxiety in kids may not make all their eating problems disappear, Sharp says. But it may make them more open to learning new habits about food.