Have you ever taken a close look at the kids menu at a restaurant? Well, typically there are a handful of the same foods on every single menu. Chicken fingers or nuggets, grilled cheese, hot dogs, or macaroni and cheese, you name those staple foods that kids love, and chances are that you will find them on a kids menu at a restaurant. It’s funny when you can go to ten different restaurants and see almost the same thing across the board available for kids. Why is that? Well, these foods are all typically well received and fun for kids, but they aren’t the best for them nutritionally. When you think about the typical kids menu, are these basically the only foods your child will eat on a day to day basis even when home? Well, if that’s the case, it may be time for your picky eater to get some help with feeding therapy at the Kids Therapy Center at Advanced Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy.
My Child is a Picky Eater – When Do I Need to Get Help?
When is it time to get help for picky eating?
- If your child is eating less than 15 foods
- This can include any variety of foods. For example, your child will only eat chicken nuggets or your child will only eat hot dogs even if on the plate with something else, even if it’s something fun like a cupcake.
- If your child is refusing entire food groups.
- This could mean they refuse to eat fruits, vegetables, breads, meats or other things as a whole group, even if you try to sneak them in!
- If your child is refusing specific textures.
- This could be a child who refuses purees, such as yogurt or a sauce or proteins that are served shredded versus ground.
If these sound like your child, an occupational therapist trained in feeding therapy can help!
Picky eating isn’t always something a child outgrows. Sure, your child may have once ate everything they tried during the early years, but now they are showing some pickiness. Sometimes this is just a phase, but if these habits have been going on for a long period of time, it could lead to prolonged issues such as vitamin deficiencies or falling below the healthy percentile for weight and growth.
Contact our office today to see how feeding therapy can help picky eaters of all ages. Our occupational therapists are trained to help even the pickiest eaters learn to try, and like, all sorts of foods. Not only is feeding therapy great for children for nutrition, but it shows them how eating can be fun! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful. The Kids Therapy Center is here to help! Call 973-616-4555 or click here to schedule your appointment.