Picky Eating in Children

There are several kinds of picky eating behaviors in children that, although most are a normal phase of child development, they cause distress, worry, and concern for well-meaning parents.

Food jags and food aversion are when children eat one food item or a very limited number of food items meal after meal. This causes concern for many parents because the child is not getting the variety of food sources to provide the nutrients they need to develop properly. Although food jags are considered a normal part of childhood development, it is thought that this is a mechanism for which children are able to assert their independence and exercise control of their daily lives (CON-AAP, 2014).

Food neophobia refers to an overwhelming fear of new or unfamiliar foods. There is a recognized association between autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and food neophobia. These children can struggle with the flexibility of thought and can be more resistant to change and therefore the fear of trying new foods can take longer to overcome. There is some degree of food neophobia that is common and expected in early childhood as a part of normal development between the ages of three and seven. These should be lessened by the age of eight or nine. Sometimes this can indicate a more complex condition if it continues into the school-age years in children (van der Horst et al, 2016; CON-APP, 2014). It is prudent to note that a nutritional supplement that offers nutrients commonly lacking in the diets of children would be a suitable safety net in extreme cases.