For these reasons do not force your children to eat

There is no benefit to force the baby. According to a study by the University of Michigan, coercion can cause stress at mealtime to harm the parent-child relationship. According to Julie Luming, director of the Center for Human Growth and Development, "the research revealed that there is no evidence that pressure on children to eat can help them solve the problem."

The stress of parents can affect their children's relationship to food. According to the report of Ruthio Navarro Matthias published in the newspaper "Lavangwardia" Spanish, stressing that the entry confrontation with children because of food frustrated many parents.

"Often, about 30% of parents turn to pediatricians to express their concern," said Begonia Arias, head of the pediatrics department at Sanitas La Tartuella Novas Hospital.

why do not you eat?
When a child does not want to eat, the first thing to rule out is a health problem. "Real dietary disorders that have an effect on nutrition occur only in 1 or 2% of cases," the expert notes.

For infants, difficulties can arise when moving from semi-solid to solid feeding. This may be due to delays in the introduction of solid food, because parents fear that they will suffocate their children.

"For older children, difficulties may arise when new options are included," Arias said. "If they are very selective about what they eat and have problems eating fruits and vegetables, the risk of obesity increases in the future because they tend to overeat carbohydrates."

External factors can cause children to refuse food. Eva Maria Perez Gentico, president of the Association of Dietitians in La Rioja, confirms, "The start of the study can affect appetite. If they are more nervous, they eat less."

Beware of frustration
With a dish full of food on the table. In the absence of dialogue, attempts to persuade the child may include inappropriate methods, such as threat, nervousness or extortion, and insistence on the common behavior of parents in the face of impotence that may arise in such scenarios.

Most parents believe that if their children do not eat they can get sick. Therefore, Arias explains that "when children refuse food, the first frustrations arise among parents. As a result, they face the moment of eating with anxiety and nervousness, which is observed by children."

If these feelings are conveyed to children, problems begin, which can lead to secondary food phobia. In addition, insistence can make children eat food without hunger. Most of these modifications in the way a child eats are temporary and can be easily resolved, the expert notes.

Parents should check the amount of food provided if the child does not complete the course. "Sometimes, we give the child more food than he needs, so we prefer to reduce it before we insist on eating it," said the nutritionist.

Gintico suggests changing the way the child is treated. Instead of insisting on eating, we could say, for example, "Don't you want to eat more?" We should avoid phrases like "if you don't finish your plate you won't leave the table."

Good practices
Failure to convey pressure from parents to children is one of the basic rules for the safe passage of this issue. "Parents should be calm, listen to their children, monitor them and help them friendlyly," she says. Meals should be suitable for a family meeting rather than the most stressful time.

Controlling emotions is a seemingly easy theory, but very difficult in practice. "Not expressing our best feelings while feeding children," says Arias.

Basic tools
Methods can be used to improve the relationship between children and food such as eating regular and varied meals. "It is possible for family members to have breakfast, lunch or dinner together around the table without watching TV," Arias said.

The child should sit comfortably and allow him to touch the food easily. It is best to use his hands at first and then use tableware that suits his age.

Sometimes, it is necessary to give the child some alternatives when he refuses to eat any kind of food, according to Gentico's advice. "When parents worry because their child refuses to eat fish, for example, they should investigate the species they have eaten before, without being forced to eat this." the food".

We should also provide the child with small amounts of food. "Children don't always accept new foods at first," she said. "It may be necessary to try 15 times."