If you have a picky eater in your house, you are NOT alone! In fact, this is a very common complaint among parents. In addition to being frustrating, parents also worry that their child is not getting appropriate nutrients needed for their growing bodies. With picky eaters, you typically see one of two things happening. First, you will find child who simply has no interest in trying anything unfamiliar and second, you have child who has no interest in trying foods he or she is familiar with, which is extremely challenging.

The name given to children who refuse to try anything new to eat is “neophobic”. Interestingly, these children actually tend to have higher levels of anxiety than other children do. Although exact reason why these children do not like trying new foods is unknown, experts believe it has something to do with personality trait or perhaps just a part of that child’s normal childhood development. Now, picker eater is a little different from neophobic in that this child is not interested in eating foods that he or she is familiar with, which is caused more from life experiences.

If you think about way in which food is perceived by adults and children, it is very different. For example, adults often use food for comfort or to celebrate a special occasion while children view food as food – a way to make a hungry tummy stop hurting. Therefore, if you have a child who begins to show signs of being a picky eater, remember that his or her body at that particular time may not need much food. When this situation first begins, offer encouragement but never force your child to clean his or her plate. In most cases, not making a big deal is best course of action.