What to do if a one-year-old child refuses to eat

Many children don’t like to eat at this time. In fact, parents don’t need to worry too much. As the old saying goes, if you don’t eat, you’re not hungry. As long as the child is not lacking in nutrition, there is no need to worry too much. Generally, zinc deficiency can also cause problems in this regard. Parents can also take their children to do a relevant trace element check, so that even if the child does not want to eat, parents do not need to worry too much. Let’s take a look at some solutions to the problem of a one-year-old child not eating.

The purpose of cultivating good eating habits in infants and young children is to promote the absorption of nutrients and enhance physical and mental health. The specific requirements are:

(1) Eat at regular times and each meal should be completed within a certain period of time. Avoid eating while playing, listening to stories, or watching TV. Do not tolerate slow eating and remove food in time.

(2) Feeding should be done at a fixed location, preferably at the dining table. Young children can eat at the table with adults.

(3) The diet should be sufficient to satisfy hunger, and ensure that the main meals are eaten properly. Snacks and candies should not be given arbitrarily. However, 1 to 2 snacks can be given between meals. For younger children, give 2 snacks, and for those over 2 years old, give 1 snack.

(4) Train infants and young children to use cups, spoons, bowls and chopsticks by themselves when appropriate. At around one year old, children can be trained to drink water from a cup by themselves. At one and a half years old, they can start training to eat with a spoon by themselves. At two years old, they can eat independently, but adults should provide assistance. At around three years old, they can learn to eat with chopsticks.

(5) Preparations should be made before meals, such as putting away toys, going to the toilet, washing hands, and taking a short rest to stimulate the appetite. This can prevent children from refusing to eat due to being surprised.

(6) Keep a cheerful mood while eating and do not scold your children.

(7) Encourage children to eat a variety of foods, not be picky eaters, not be partial to certain foods, not be greedy, eat less snacks, and maintain a strong appetite for regular meals.

(8) Parents can use simple language to introduce relevant knowledge about the food on the table, which can not only increase children's knowledge but also stimulate their appetite.

(9) To ensure that young children have a strong appetite, they must be allowed to play well, rest well, sleep well and eat on time.

(10) Young children have strong imitative abilities. Parents should set a good example and influence their children to eat well with their strong appetite. Parents should also avoid talking or laughing loudly during meals to prevent children from choking. In short, a strong appetite is an important factor in promoting digestion and absorption, and good eating habits are a necessary condition to ensure reasonable nutrition.

The above is the solution to the problem of one-year-old children not eating that I would like to introduce to you today. I hope it will be helpful to all parents. Cultivate good habits in your children so that you don’t have to worry about mealtime every day. If you are worried, you can take your child to the hospital for a relevant check-up. If there is no serious problem, don't worry too much. I hope this can help you.