Appetite, by definition, is the desire and desire to eat, but in some children this desire is so low that after a while the parents start to worry and feel inadequate. Anorexia, which can be seen at any age, is especially evident in the first four years and during adolescence.
Batıgöz Health Group Specialist Pediatrician Fikret İŞBİLİR answered our questions on the subject.
What are the main causes of anorexia?
Anorexia can also develop as the body’s response to any infection. It can be observed most frequently in urinary tract infections, upper respiratory tract infections, parasitic diseases, constipation, adenoid enlargement, vitamin deficiencies, some metabolic diseases, and more rarely in childhood cancer cases and rheumatic diseases. This loss of appetite caused by diseases may last for 2-3 weeks, but if the time is longer, necessary tests should be done and precautions should be taken.
Does prolonged loss of appetite affect the child’s growth?
Prolonged loss of appetite can affect the child’s growth and development. In this case, since the necessary calorie intake cannot be provided, protein, hormones, vitamins and minerals, which are the building blocks of the body, will be deficient and development will be interrupted.
Well, other than physiological reasons, can there be other reasons for loss of appetite?
Loss of appetite can sometimes be related to the psychology of the child. A change in appetite can be observed in hyperactive or, on the contrary, introverted children. If the growth and development are in a normal course (height-weight and head circumference tracking), that is, in the measurements in the normal standard table, one should not be alarmed.
Generally, in our society, it is thought that a strong child is healthy and a weak child has a problem. Therefore, families panic and suggest and sometimes even pressure a poor or weak child to eat. We received his opinion on the subject, Dr. Fikret İşbilir said, ‘Sometimes the child may be of normal height and weight, even though he/she does not eat the way the family wants. In this case, the attitude of the family should not be persistent. He should not be insisted on taking the foods he does not like, or he should be mixed with other foods he likes, for example, a child who does not like cheese can be fed this food in pastry or pasta.
İşbilir also suggested that for the younger age group, cute plates can be prepared by decorating the foods or giving them different shapes, and the child’s interest in that food can be increased.
Another point to be considered is that the child should be accustomed to certain foods ahead of time. Especially in the first six months, only breast milk should be given to the baby, and then gradually other foods should be introduced. The three-day rule should be applied when starting complementary foods.
So what is this three-day rule?
The 3-day rule should be applied when starting each new food for the baby. From the moment he is born, it is monitored whether there is any allergy, sensitivity and indigestion against the food he will encounter for the first time. Since the purpose of this first encounter is not to feed the baby, but to introduce the food to him, it will be sufficient to give only 3 spoons of that food at first.
Other situations that should be considered so that the child’s eating habits are not adversely affected; The child does not eat junk food before the meal, does not bloat by drinking water or fruit juice, does not feed in front of the television, sits at the same table with the family if necessary, does not rush to eat, prepares the portion and cutlery according to the child and makes the table attractive.
Talking about an interesting memory on the subject, Dr. Fikret İşbilir once again underlines how important it is to raise awareness of the family. ‘ Those were the early years of my residency. I was working in a cute town of the Black Sea. A four-month-old baby was brought for examination. When I examined the baby, his height and weight were within the normal standard. The physical examination findings were good, but the parents complained that the baby had no appetite and did not gain weight. During these months, I learned that while only breast milk should be given, they accept the baby as having no appetite and feed him hazelnut paste so that he can gain weight fast. That was a tragicomic event.’
Be you, do not risk your child’s life by acting on hearsay information without researching it thoroughly. While trying to gain weight, you may have to deal with much more serious health problems.
Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency
