Diagnosing Lack of Appetite Many parents are concerned that their children being picky eaters. Some children go through a stage of disinterest in food and eating and this is understandably worrying for parents, as proper nutrition is essential for normal growth and development. However children's appetites may vary naturally depending on their growth needs. What Causes Lack of Appetite? As the rate of growth slows down in older toddlers, they often do start to become ‘picky eaters’ as their nutrition requirements may be slightly decreased, and they start to enforce their independence by voicing their likes and dislikes.  It is also important to remember that developing personal tastes and a healthy will are perfectly normal and expected at this age. Most children will grow out of this stage and continue to grow and develop completely normally, naturally developing more balanced eating habits and hearty appetites. If you are concerned that your child is not growing appropriately or is losing weight please consult your health care practitioner. Also see our Hints for Parents below.

Help for Lack of Appetite   Food preferences are developed early in life and once they are established, they are hard to break. Therefore, the earlier you encourage healthy food choices for your child, the better! The example set at home is an important determinant of future food choices as your child watches you for clues on likes, dislikes and choices. However, as children spend many hours a day away from home, in school and with friends, a variety of social and other factors influence what and when children eat. A major influence on children is television advertising, which often promotes unhealthy food selections.

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