Fussy Eating

Many parents struggle with getting their children to eat a healthy balanced diet.  This can range from refusing one or two foods to refusing nearly everything.  Although fussy eating can sound like a simple problem, it can cause huge stress for many parents and children.

Many children with fussy eating can be helped with some simple strategies around eating behaviour.  It can take a few months for things to work but working with a paediatric dietitian can help you to identify why your child is a fussy eater and then look at how you can turn this around.  For many children this is a problem that can be (fairly) easily solved with the right advice.  It is important that both parents or guardians as well as other carers are involved so that everyone is helping your child to eat in the right way.  We do recommend that both parents or guardians come to the session if at all possible.  We can also put together information for other carers.

Children with special needs

For some children, refusing to eat certain foods can go beyond normal fussy eating.  Children with special needs such as autism or sensory processing disorder may have a real struggle to eat certain foods even if they are very hungry.  These children often need a lot more input but we can help to get you started and especially help to see if your child has “normal” fussy eating or if there might be something more going on. Paediatric dietitians may work with a speech therapist and/or occupational therapist to help manage eating in children with special needs.