One in four parents of pre-schoolers report their child as being “fussy.” Most parents take comfort in the fact that they are not alone. Fussy eating is not your fault! All children take time to learn to accept new foods. Some children take longer than others, just as some kids toilet train with ease and others are not dry at night until older. However fussy eating can be prolonged, if parents or carers accidentally reinforce picky eating. For example, if you limit food exposure once your child has rejected it or cater to whatever they want to eat. Pressuring kids to eat at mealtimes can also worsen the problem, even if it is done so lovingly. So how do you know when to worry about picky eating? These five questions are a good guideline to assess whether your child’s eating is a problem or not.

When is fussy eating a concern?

As paediatric Dietitians, we use these five questions to decide if fussy eating is a sign of a bigger problem.

1. How many different types of food does your child eat? Picky eaters will eat less than 30 foods, whilst problem eaters will have less than 20 foods they consume regularly.
2. Does your child eat something from the full range of textures?A picky eater will eat at least one food from each texture type (wet, soft, crunchy, chewy), whilst a problem eater will have a restricted range of textures.
3. Does your child refuse to eat foods they once loved? A picky eater may stop eating a food they love, but re-accept it over time, whilst a problem eater will stop eating a food and never accept that food again.
4. Does your child try new foods? A picky eater will sometimes touch and taste new foods. In contrast, a problem eater will never accept or tolerate new foods.
5. How many times does your child have to try something before they will accept it? A picky eater will try or accept a new food after 15-25 exposures (on average). A problem eater will not accept a new food until well over 25 exposures.

If your child is simply a fussy eater, they may “grow out” of the habit as they get older. Continue to provide them with a range of foods: different tastes, textures, and nutrients. If you’re worried about picky eating, reach out. We can provide guidance to give you confidence in supporting your child through this phase.

What if my child has problem eating?

Is your child a problem eater based off this list? This could mean they are less likely to “grow out” of restricted eating on their own. A paediatric Dietitian can provide professional guidance to help. Some of the areas we look at with our paediatric clients are:

• Investigating potential oral motor conditions – there may be a physical reason why your child has an aversion to food
• Safe swallow – we work with children to break this down into steps they may have missed
• Gross and fine motor skills for eating
• Providing adequate food variety – including textures and nutrients for growth
• Sensory processing skills – to help your child be more comfortable with experiencing unfamiliar foods

Depending on your child’s needs, you may also work with an occupational therapist or speech pathologist as well. Our paediatric dietitians work in close contact with the rest of your child’s care team to help support you.

When to worry about picky eating: How do I best help my child?

Both pick eating and problem eating can greatly benefit from a paediatric Dietitian. We can help you to meet your child’s nutritional requirements and increase food acceptance. We can also help prevent picky eating from becoming problem eating. And of course, we love to help support families in keeping mealtimes peaceful. No one wants mealtime stress to become a part of family life.

Want more details of how we work with families and children? Read about our paediatric Dietitian service and our Feeding Therapy Dietitian service. You can book an appointment instantly online. We can’t wait to help you and your family enjoy more relaxed, healthy mealtimes.