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Moms, dads, grandparents experience great anxiety if a child refuses to eat, especially if this does not happen from time to time, but constantly. The fidget has to be persuaded to eat an extra spoonful of porridge, come up with new, unusual dishes and games so that the baby leaves the table full. ” Healthy Food Near Me” understands together with an expert, because of what you should and should not worry and how to increase children’s appetite.
How much should a child eat at different ages
There are nutritional standards developed by scientists (1). It is important for parents to know the recommended numbers, but following the norms for grams will be a big mistake. It is better to focus on the common sense, well-being and mood of the baby.
The volume of breast milk or formula for newborns in the first 10 days of life depends on weight. If the baby was born with a weight of more than 3200 g, he should eat a volume of milk per day equal to the number of days lived multiplied by 70 (2). A child 5 days old eats 350 ml. If the baby’s weight was less than 3200 g, the number of days lived is multiplied by 80.
From 1,5 weeks to 2 months: WHO recommends 1/5 of the baby’s weight as normal (3). That is, with a weight of 4 kg, he should eat 800 ml per day.
From 2 to 4 months, the volume of mother’s milk and the mixture is taken in the ratio of 1/6 of the baby’s weight. You can calculate according to the formula – weight in grams divided by height in cm and multiplied by 70.
Babies from 4-6 months old eat 1/7 of their own weight. For 6-8 months, the norm will be about 1000-1100 ml of food per day, and for 8-11 months – 1200-1300 ml.
From 1 to 2 years old, children usually eat 1300-1400 ml of food per day. After 2 years, the Union of Pediatricians of Our Country advises parents to switch to a full three meals a day with two intermediate snacks (4). On average, a child of this age eats 1500 ml per day.
After 4-5 years, the volume of food increases to 2000 ml per day. It is recommended to distribute the calorie content of food as follows: breakfast – 30%, lunch – 35%, afternoon tea – 15% and dinner – 20%.
Nutritional norms for children at different ages according to WHO recommendations
| Age | Daily food intake |
| 1,5 weeks to 2 months | 1/5 of the child’s weight |
| From 2 to 4 months | 1/6 of the child’s weight |
| From 4 to 6 months | 1/7 of the child’s weight |
| From 6 to 8 months | 1000-1100 ml |
| From 8 to 11 months | 1200-1300 ml |
| From 1 2 years up | 1300-1400 ml |
| From 2 5 years up | Average 1500 ml |
| Older than 5 years | Average 2000 ml |
Why is the child not eating?
Appetite in children depends on the state of health, genetic characteristics, maturity, growth phase, mood, and even the time of day. It is necessary to distinguish between painful manifestations and cases that most parents have to deal with.
Complete refusal to eat is called anorexia. If a child experiences a painful reaction to some food or dish, this is a state of idiosyncrasy. Most often, adults deal with hyporexia – a decrease in appetite. Let us examine in more detail each reason why a child refuses to eat or eats too little.
No feeling of hunger
The simplest and most obvious reason for poor appetite is that the baby is full. We try so hard to feed our kids that they just don’t feel hungry and therefore have a hard time identifying it.
What should parents do? Don’t be nervous, stay friendly and let your baby get hungry. Remove any foods and snacks from your reach that can interrupt your appetite – sweets, cookies, sandwiches, buns, juices, compotes and fruits. Offer your child food, but be prepared for him to say no. Wait until the baby himself offers to dine or agrees to your offer.
Passion for something or a game
Often children are so engrossed in a new toy that they forget to eat. An enthusiastic fidget does not want to give up an interesting business and break for lunch, so the calls of adults can be met with refusal or even whims.
Selective appetite
If the child does not want to eat the main food and prefers to “bite”, he may simply not like the taste and appearance of the dishes you prepare. Try to choose other recipes, experiment with salt and spices. Perhaps the child does not want to eat too hot or cold food.
Intoxication during illness
When children feel bad, they refuse any food. This happens with SARS, stomatitis, otitis and other ailments. In infancy, appetite may decrease during teething.
When a child is sick, the body is not able to adequately perceive food. All forces are spent on eliminating the source of pain, so the brain does not send signals about hunger. As soon as health improves, appetite returns.
Consequences of vaccinations
After vaccination, the child may lose his appetite. This is especially true in children in their first year of life. In preschoolers and children of primary school age, problems with eating after vaccination occur in 15-20% of cases. Don’t despair – it won’t be long!
Manifestation of allergies
Appetite disorders can be caused by allergic reactions. For example, babies with atopic dermatitis often refuse to eat. When skin itching bothers, appetite fades into the background.
Few movements
Children of the first years of life are very active physically and rarely sit still. Natural mobility and outdoor play are the best way to work up an appetite. Some, on the contrary, spend a lot of time in front of the TV and at the computer, move little, so they do not experience a strong feeling of hunger.
Consequences of poor nutrition in children
Regular malnutrition leads to the fact that the child’s body receives less nutrients for normal functioning. The child appears lethargic, drowsy and lethargic. With poor nutrition, there is a risk of underdevelopment of the brain, reduced learning ability and low immunity. Improper nutrition in childhood can lead to serious health problems in adulthood.
Parents are not in vain worried about the poor appetite of the baby. Refusal to eat can be caused by serious chronic diseases, such as hormonal disorders.
Under what symptoms it is necessary to show the child to the doctor? If loss of appetite is accompanied by high fever, vomiting, rashes appear in the mouth or on the body, urination and stool become frequent. When a child loses weight, does not want to drink, or does not sleep well.
How to increase your child’s appetite
Everyone has their own appetite. Some children like to eat more often, others refuse to eat, even when it’s time to feed. However, there are ways to increase a child’s appetite without violence, lectures, threats and blackmail.
Up to 1 years
A newborn child is entirely dependent on the mother and sensitively reacts to her mood. In order for the baby to grow up happy and active, the mother must feed him in a good mood. It is necessary to apply to the chest in a calm environment, without loud, annoying extraneous sounds that can distract from eating.
When breastfeeding, there are many problems due to which the baby does not eat well. Causes of poor appetite can be improper attachment to the breast, inverted nipples of the mother, pain and excess gas in the abdomen of the crumbs. Sometimes lactation changes – there is little milk or, on the contrary, it pours excessively. From the mother’s diet, breast milk can change the taste. When formula feeding, refusal to eat is sometimes caused by an incorrectly selected bottle or nipple.
In the first year of life, it is important that the child is regularly monitored by a pediatrician. Some children eat poorly because they are lactose intolerant, so milk is removed from their diet as early as possible. Sometimes the appetite increases from the introduction of complementary foods or the replacement of formula.
1-2 years
At this age, the child likes to repeat after others, so it is important that he observe how adults, older brothers and sisters eat. A good way to develop eating behavior is playing with a spoon and a plate. An active interest in food is caused by joint table setting, shopping trips and products that the baby can eat with their own hands.
3-5 years
Younger preschoolers like bright and unusual dishes, because food is also a game. Liven up cereals, soups and salads to make them look irresistible. Put food on plates with beautiful pictures. The child will want to finish eating quickly to see the “drawn story”. An effective way of teaching is the example of a peer. Take your little one to visit a baby who eats with appetite.
5-7 years
Older preschoolers are extremely inquisitive. Involve your child in cooking as early as possible. Children are happy to break eggs for scrambled eggs, make sandwiches, knead the dough and put it into molds. A dish prepared with your own hands is much more interesting and tastier!
Older than 7 years
Schoolchildren have many responsibilities during the day, so the regime is important. A healthy appetite can be instilled as a habit. Remove all unnecessary snacks and set clear rules in the family when family members sit down for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is worth walking more in the fresh air, playing sports and avoiding negative conversations during meals.
Popular questions and answers
How to establish a food interest in a child?
– The child needs to be taught to a variety of tastes, to show and give to try. For many parents, a bunch works in their heads: “cutlet-pasta-cucumber”. While children need fresh herbs, fresh vegetables and fruits, processed vegetables, cereals and legumes. Parsnips, beets, radishes, parsley, turnips, sweet potatoes – the younger generation has not heard of many cruciferous vegetables, much less tried them. But these vegetables are really tasty!
A child is not born with an understanding of the principles of healthy eating. All knowledge about food comes to children from their parents through their own experience. Of the prerequisites – the child must have a correct daily routine, including full meals and snacks. Nutrition rules should be clear. It does not happen that “today you can eat at night”, and tomorrow “you can’t”. Or “today chips are allowed”, at all other times it is “forbidden”.
I recommend that parents go shopping with their children and study in detail the composition of everything that is on the counter. Forming good eating habits is a process that never ends. Therefore, the child and the parent must be in constant communication: what can be eaten, what cannot be eaten, what should be added to the diet, and what should be removed.
Can a child be forced to eat?
In what cases, due to lack of appetite, you need to see a doctor?
Sources of
- Udartseva T.P. Nutrition for children of the first year of life: theory and practice. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/pitanie-detey-pervogo-goda-zhizni-teoriya-i-praktika/viewer
- Kozlovsky A. A. Modern approaches to the nutrition of children in the first year of life. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/sovremennye-podhody-k-pitaniyu-detey-pervogo-goda-zhizni/viewer
- Nutrition for infants and young children | WHO recommendations. URL: https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infant-and-young-child-feeding
- Nutrition for children from 1 to 3 years. URL: https://www.pediatr-Our Country.ru/parents_information/soveti-roditelyam/pitanie-detey-ot-1-goda-do-3-let/