Food refusal is very common in children today.The terms essentially includes all behaviors that prevent adequate intake of nutritional, caloric as well as fluid needs of children. Children display a wide array of these behaviors: refusing to open their mouth, keeping food in the mouth, spitting it out, throwing food away, violently shaking their heads, kicking vehemently, screaming, crying, running away from the feeding venue, throwing a massive tantrum at the meal time and above all, vomiting it out after eating. It becomes habitual, mealtimes become a terrorizing moment for parents, children and whoever else is present in the vicinity then.

The most valid explanation may be that they don’t like what is being out inside their mouth. It is important to prepare food for children keeping in mind their palatal requirements. Children have limited number of receptors on their tongue and thus they need greater taste elements like salt and sugar in order for them to appreciate the taste. Giving boiled and bland foods is a common practice in infancy but the practice must change as children grow. Today children have their own mind from the moment they are born. Strangely children develop taste for foods they must avoid: junk food gels well with their palate and their mind; but not with the nutritional practices that nutritionists and parents desire for their children.

When children refuse to eat, parents get worked up and the drama begins. There is anger, frustration, swearing, screaming (parents frequently scream more than their children really!) and occasionally beating too. The mealtime now gets associated with negative incidents and children begin to abhor it. Often enough children are hungry but the strong negative associations that have been developed with food disallow them from enjoying a meal which may actually suit their taste and be of their liking. Children need to associate the mealtime with positive emotions. A happy family that sits together at a dinner table, with everyone eating together (children imitate eating by observational learning) engenders children who eat happily whatever is offered to them. Additionally the old saying goes: a family that eats together, sticks together; the advantages of kids eating at the same table with their parents are thus numerous and this easy strategy always does the trick.

If a small child is cuddled subsequent to the shaking the head after food is presented, it will be more likely that during the next meal the presentation of food will result in head shaking. At the same time if the child is let be, he or she will realize that food refusal does not bring in positive attention. Likewise if the meal time is followed by a fun family time together, toddlers and older children often get motivated to keep the meal time fun and peaceful. Often enough parents sing and dance in front of their children to make them eat. These kids are more than overjoyed in the clowning behavior and make it a point to not eat anywhere unless their parents repeat this behavior. Parents engender food refusal without realizing it at times.

At MINDFRAMES we believe that the solution lies in identifying the underlying cause for refusal. It is important to rule out medical conditions, any stomach problems, oral ulcers or other conditions that make children refuse food. The pattern of refusal is studied and specific guidance for parents is offered. Behavior therapy protocols, interesting star charts, graded task assignments are planned to help children overcome the habit and eat healthy.